TTEC suspended its 401(k) employer match for 16,000 workers and explicitly tied the decision to AI investments. By Jonathan Small | edited by Dan Bova | May 11, 2026 401(k) match or AI ? That is the question facing many companies — and many are now choosing AI. Customer experience tech company TTEC suspended its 401(k) employer match for approximately 16,000 U.S. employees through the end of 2026, saying it needs to redirect those resources toward AI investments. For a worker earning $60,000 who was contributing 6 percent of their salary, that’s $1,800 a year in employer contributions. Most companies cutting retirement benefits blame “cost pressures” or “macroeconomic conditions,” but TTEC said the quiet part out loud, telling Business Insider it’s investing in AI certifications, AI-enabled tools, training and automation. TTEC isn’t the first to do this — Deloitte and Zoom have both cut popular benefits in 2026.…