By David Stephen —
Sedona, AZ — There is a recent report in USA Today, Job cuts surge in worst October layoffs in 22 years. Here’s why, stating that, “Propelled by cost cutting and the growing adoption of artificial intelligence, employers slashed more than 150,000 jobs in October, the largest wave of layoffs in more than 20 years, a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas said Thursday, Nov. 6.”
“Seeking to cut costs, technology companies shed the most jobs, followed by the retail and services sectors, the outplacement firm found. Amazon, UPS, Microsoft and other firms have recently announced layoffs.”
“In what could be another sign of a softening labor market, October layoffs jumped 175% from a year ago to 153,074, the highest level since 2003, Challenger, Gray & Christmas said.”
SMBs
The principal options for now, to prepare for what is ahead with AI — either good or otherwise — are small businesses.
There has never been any effort, at any point in recent history, that the capital expenditure that AI has had over the last three years was applied to small businesses — even remotely.
Small businesses are an absorbent and a local workforce opportunity. They may just be the last resort for humanity as AI dominates productivity. For now, AI is yet to pervade small businesses as much as it has for big businesses — giving them longer, and the chance to become economic shelters for most demography.
The pathway for small businesses is the growth question. How do they grow, in revenues, for marketplaces, to expand their workforce, for demand and so forth? What models can be applied to small businesses to reposition them in the economy, strengthening strongly, to ensure that there is enough dynamism to reduce the shock of AI job loss everywhere else?
Small Business Growth Architecture
LLMs Marketplaces
How does a small business create demand, especially from an expanded marketplace?
Large language models [LLMs] can be used to create a new commerce map of places, using gas stations [or other local common places] as reference points.
The objective will be to note everything about that area, especially what is between the last gas station and the next and what is around them, to prospect what maybe needed in those places, to be demanded or supplied — at a workable margin.
Simply, what is the information about a place that can be used to decide what market opportunities are available and how small businesses would find advantage?
Information may include payment gateways, supply or delivery information, and so forth. This will leap today’s e-commerce platforms [basic meeting points] to become a radar on new marketplaces.
There can be national and international variants of this, such that a search on dedicated LLMs can be asked where to sell this or that, then recent information would come up and so forth. While this solution will be commercial and proprietary, contributors can get some revenue-sharing based on information accuracy.
LLMs will also provide specifics about the business area, what to do, how to win, how to standout and so forth, to ensure that the move is great. Some of the businesses that take a spot may indicate, so that the data is also updated.
The goal is just to make new marketplaces visible for certain small businesses [SMBs], to prevent sticking to one thing or location and losing out.
Tier Hiring
There could be more than one person hired for one position. They could be up to three and in some cases four. These would be tiered, working at intervals within a half-day, on some days.
For example, 2-hours, 3 times in a 12-hour frame. Since the hours are capped to just 2, it is possible to pay below the minimum wage, especially to those on the lowest tiers. Aside capped hours, what may also compensate is that they learn, they can use the breaks at a library program, they can also benefit from some collective health insurance for this workforce model as well as some retirement plan.
Simply, it is possible to create a new workforce model for small businesses, where the primary goal will be to absorb lots of workers. This might make it necessary to pay several people below minimum wage, so that there is at least something to do. Also, since AI has made some work-intelligence free — for humans to still be doing stuff the labor market may render low value — it may mean lower pay, but with certain other perks.
This workforce solution for small business would be to hire workers for less than minimum wage. However, to participate, SMBs may pay a fee to the collective to contribute to part health insurance and retirement for workers. It is possible develop an AI agent to get this done, placing the opportunities, risks and so forth. Some businesses may choose to hire all on lower tiers.
Labor Credit
Loans can be provided to some small businesses to pay wages directly. Simply, when the loan is approved, it is paid at end of the wage term, directly to workers not to the business owner or manager.
The necessity, sometimes, is that a small business may have stock, but may need sales agents, marketing, IT and so forth. SMBs can use this labor credit to get those hands, while also applying the tier model to it. The loan term could be a maximum of three months, while servicing it can be for a maximum of four months during and afterward. The interests can be single digits, depending on the risk level and the kind of business. The purpose is to hire people, as well as give SMBs the chance to grow.
Alt Pay, Alt Work
Other possibilities include alternative ways to pay wages with credits of some form and not money. This could be underscored by tax collection that is not money as all, for some too, as a reserve to serve the new payment or credit system.
There can also be the identification of some things in society that needs to get done, so that doing them results in getting paid in some form. So, people have what to do and then society gets managed better.
There can also be a new program where university admission or training anywhere means there is an opening to fill, at some venture after graduation. Simply, there will no longer be admission just like that, but that there is possibility that whenever this individual is done with school or training, something is available to be done, after, possibly at a small business.
Spending Pegs
There can be a solution on the most affordable ways to live on a certain amount in a city, per week or per month on food, bills and transport. This may not include shelter. Simply, to survive, how can a person spend a fixed amount in one month and double of that or half. Something quite lower than the general standard of living in that spot.
This would mean the chance to see more value in anything someone has, than to feel it is inadequate, even as AI may reduce the chance to earn well, for people.
Small Business Growth Research Lab
Small businesses hold promise. They do, in improvement models that can be applied to them, while funding or support for the program can follow. However, it is better to have the programs pay for themselves or even if initially boosted, the amount can be paid back to ensure efficiency.
These can be worked and prepared by a Small Business Growth Research Lab. This work would use AI for ease, but also have some traditional software. It will also be possible to extricate the program from AI, in some form or digital, to avoid absolute dependency on AI — against its risks.
This lab would make the difference and could be setup by November 24, 2025 or at most by December 1, 2025. The lab can be for profit, but the work would be applicable nationally and globally preparing against the unknown, as artificial intelligence gets into direct competition with human intelligence.
There is a new [November 9, 2025] story on The Washington Post, A critical part of the economy isn’t hiring. Bosses explain why., stating that, “Small companies, which employ more than 40 percent of the nation’s workforce, tend to experience financial shocks more acutely than their corporate peers.”
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