AI is the smoke screen companies are using to cut costs because they see things slowing down (tariffs and the general admin causing enormous uncertainty), and many are still recovering from all the over hiring during COVID.

Is there much to indicate the losses are due to AI.

I see a lot of stories but not a lot to make it clear if that is the case.

I usually see it claimed with legit job numbers, but then very iffy connections to AI.

Not really, this was just on the front page of this site:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45129267

What a nice self-fulfilling prophecy some people have here. Hype AI as a job killer, execs become convinced of the tech before any real results are delivered, use it as excuse for layoffs, something something job numbers, "SEE?? AI!"