The global technology industry has already crossed the entire number of tech jobs cut in 2025, with the latest data showing that more than 1.23 lakh employees have been laid off so far in 2026.
According
to Layoffs.fyi, 1,23,305 tech employees across 289 companies have lost their jobs in 2026 so far, compared with 1,22,606 employees across 278 companies during the whole of 2025. That means 2026 has already surpassed last year’s total by 699 job cuts, even though the year still has nearly four months to go.
The figures underline how intense the workforce restructuring across the technology industry has become, with companies cutting costs, simplifying organisations and redirecting capital towards artificial intelligence and other high-growth areas.
Big Tech accounts for a large share of the cuts
Some of the year’s biggest workforce reductions have come from technology giants. Oracle tops the Layoffs.fyi list with around 21,000 jobs cut, followed by Amazon with 17,267, Dell with 11,000 and Meta with 10,400. Microsoft has cut around 4,800 jobs, while PayPal, Block and Cisco have each announced cuts of roughly 4,000 or more.
Other major companies that have reduced headcount include Intuit, WiseTech, ASML, Atlassian, Ericsson and Lucid Motors.
In the latest layoffs, Zomato has decided to let go of 250 employees, according to Layoffs.fyi.
Oracle faces another round of layoffs, as the technology giant seeks to reduce payroll costs while continuing to pour billions of dollars into artificial intelligence infrastructure. Economic Times has reported that Oracle is laying off around 3,000 employees in India, with the latest round of cuts estimated to affect between 2,000 and 3,000 people. The cuts are expected to take effect from September 1, according to Pareekh Jain, chief executive of market research firm EIIRTrend.
The layoffs have also continued into the second half of the year. Microsoft announced another major workforce reduction in July, with about 4,800 roles affected, while Etsy cut around 220 jobs in August and Zillow announced 500 job cuts.
AI is changing the workforce equation
The latest layoff wave is different from a conventional downturn because companies are not simply responding to weak demand. According to reports, a significant part of the restructuring is linked to the rapid adoption of AI and automation.
Technology companies are increasingly investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure while looking for ways to make existing operations more efficient. That has encouraged companies to reduce management layers, consolidate teams and automate certain functions.
Microsoft, for instance, has said AI is changing how work gets done, even as it has pushed back against the idea that its job cuts are simply employees being replaced by AI.
Meta offers another example of the tension created by the AI transition. The company cut around 10,400 jobs in 2026 while pursuing an ambitious plan to reorganise teams around AI. However, its broader attempt to create an “AI-native” workforce has faced internal resistance and challenges around productivity, reliability and security. Meta has nevertheless continued to plan massive AI infrastructure spending.
Why 2026’s number is significant
Crossing the 2025 full-year figure this early in the year suggests that the technology industry’s workforce reset is not complete yet.
The current cycle combines cost-cutting, post-pandemic workforce correction, organisational restructuring and the shift towards AI-led operations. Companies are simultaneously spending heavily on data centres, chips and AI talent while trying to operate with leaner workforces.
Oracle is an example. The company has been cutting jobs while dramatically increasing spending on infrastructure to meet demand for AI computing. Reports have also emerged of another potential round of Oracle job cuts, although those additional reductions should not be treated as confirmed layoffs until formally reported.
