Layoffs in the US tech and finance sectors, potentially linked to the impact of artificial intelligence, have led to a surge in one-person start-ups. The extent of the layoffs varies, with some reports indicating thousands of job losses per month, while specific companies such as Microsoft and Oracle are said to be cutting a portion of their workforce. The role of AI in these layoffs is still being debated, with some predicting widespread automation of white-collar tasks and others downplaying the significance of the job cuts.