The year 2025 has been a painful marker for the global technology workforce. Driven by the urgent need to fund massive Artificial Intelligence infrastructure and the efficiency gains from automation, global tech giants have orchestrated an unprecedented wave of restructuring across the globe. Industry trackers estimate that over 112,000 employees have been laid off across more than 200 tech companies this year, with the final tally projected to be far higher.
Note that this is not a typical economic downturn – rather, it is a fundamental shift. CEOs are openly shedding roles that can be automated by new AI tools, using the savings to aggressively hire top-tier talent focused on developing and implementing the very technology causing these layoffs.
Here is a breakdown of how the biggest names in tech have ‘restructured’ their workforces in the AI-centric economy of 2025 and beyond. Note that the layoff data is sourced from Trueup layoff tracker.
Software and services giants
Google (Alphabet):
The search and AI giant continued its rolling layoffs throughout 2025, strategically eliminating roles, including over 100 in its Cloud division, to free up capital. The cuts are focused on reallocating talent toward flagship AI products like the Tensor chip and foundational model research, prioritising innovation over maintaining mature products.
Microsoft:
Microsoft announced approximately 9,000 job cuts as it aggressively restructures to pour billions into its deep partnership with OpenAI. The goal is is to reduce costs in legacy areas to hyper-fund its lead in the generative AI space, especially its CoPilot tools.
Accenture:
One of the most shocking moves came from the consulting sector. Accenture shed over 11,000 employees as part of a major restructuring. CEO Julie Sweet confirmed the firm is ‘exiting’ people whose reskilling ‘is not a viable path,’ signalling that roles which cannot adapt to the new AI-centric consulting model are being phased out in favour of a leaner, highly specialised workforce trained in ‘agentic AI.’
TCS (Tata Consultancy Services):
India’s largest IT services firm recorded its steepest job reduction ever, cutting nearly 12,000 jobs. The company directly attributed the downsizing to the rapid AI boom and a severe skills mismatch among its mid- and senior-level staff, necessitating a mass reorganisation around automation.
Oracle:
After striking massive deals with OpenAI and Nvidia for its cloud infrastructure, Oracle laid off over 3,000 employees globally across its Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and other core units. The cuts were described as a “hard pivot” toward cost reduction and streamlining operations to fund its multi-billion dollar bet on AI-powered cloud tools.
Meta (Facebook):
Even in its own AI department, Meta cut 600 employees. This was part of a broader corporate restructuring effort focused on efficiency and improving the output of its remaining AI teams as it streamlines its metaverse ambitions with generative AI integration.
Hardware and Telecom providers
Amazon:
Amazon announced cuts impacting up to 16,000 workers, spanning across its massive operations, HR, and critical AWS cloud division. CEO Andy Jassy positioned the layoffs as a necessary adjustment to correct previous overexpansion and secure capital for massive reinvestment in AI development.
Intel:
Facing stiff competition in the semiconductor market, Intel announced plans to reduce its workforce by about 24,000 employees, or 22% of its global headcount. This is a severe measure aimed at cutting operating costs and funneling resources into its crucial AI chip and specialised manufacturing segments.
Verizon:
The telecommunications giant is planning its largest-ever corporate layoffs, impacting almost 13,000 employees. While the company cited the need for aggressive cost transformation and a simpler business structure, laid-off employees have come forward, alleging that their roles in troubleshooting and customer service were used to train the company’s new AI-powered systems before their termination.
HP:
HP is pursuing a multi-year restructuring plan that aims to eliminate up to 6,000 jobs by 2028. The company’s CFO stated that the cuts are part of a strategy to embed AI into nearly every function—from product innovation to customer support—to generate significant productivity and over \$1 billion in run-rate savings.
Panasonic:
The Japanese conglomerate announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs globally as part of a initiative to boost productivity and streamline operations. The cuts, affecting sales and indirect departments, reflect a trend among legacy manufacturers to optimise their personnel structures amid global financial headwinds and a push toward smart manufacturing automation.
