WASHINGTON, DC — More than 175,000 technology workers had been laid off by the middle of 2026, according to TrueUp, as companies from Apple and Microsoft to Oracle, Amazon, Meta, TikTok, Visa, Uber, Cisco and Intel announced new reductions.
The cuts have stretched across technology, gaming, e-commerce, payments and other businesses. Some employers tied the changes to artificial intelligence and automation, while others pointed to restructuring, weaker demand, shifting priorities or cost pressures.
The figures have raised fresh concern about what the AI boom means for traditional tech jobs. Several companies said they were moving resources toward AI, cloud computing and other growth areas even as they reduced head count elsewhere.
Major Cuts Announced
Among the biggest announcements, Microsoft said it was cutting about 4,800 employees, including roughly 3,200 expected to come from Xbox through fiscal year 2027. Visa said it was eliminating about 2,600 jobs, or 7% of its workforce, with technology and product teams expected to be hit hardest.
Apple said it had laid off at least 60 employees from its Vision Group and that the changes could affect more than 200 workers overall. TikTok said it would eliminate about 250 jobs and close its Nashville office in October. Zillow, Etsy and others also said they were reducing staff as they reorganized.
Other companies disclosed even larger actions earlier in the year. Oracle said it had cut about 21,000 jobs over the previous year, while Meta, PayPal, Cisco, Coinbase, Intuit, Robinhood and Cloudflare also announced major reductions or restructuring plans in 2026.
AI, Strategy And Pressure
Many of the companies said the changes were tied to long-term strategy, not just short-term savings. Oracle said AI adoption across its operations had led to workforce reductions. Monday.com, Wix, Cloudflare and Coinbase also connected cuts to AI-driven changes in how they work and build products.
Other employers gave different explanations. Lucid said it was trimming staff to improve profitability. Epic Games cited weaker Fortnite engagement. Samsung described a restructuring linked to its headquarters move. Etsy said its layoffs were not driven by AI adoption, even as it cut about 220 employees.
The mix of reasons shows how broad the pressure has become. In many cases, companies are trying to do more with fewer people while shifting money toward technologies they expect to fuel future growth, especially AI systems and automation tools.
What Workers Are Watching
The layoff wave has pushed the issue beyond company earnings calls and into the public debate over AI and employment. California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a tool to track AI’s impact on the workforce, and thousands of Google employees called for stronger protections against AI-related layoffs.
For workers, the changes are showing up across product, engineering, customer service and support teams, as well as in gaming and enterprise software. The job losses have also touched companies outside classic tech, including Nike, Disney, Amazon, General Motors and others that rely heavily on digital systems.
Anyone tracking the trend can follow updates from TrueUp, which is compiling the 2026 layoff tally, and from company investor filings and corporate statements. The pattern so far suggests the year is still not over for workforce cuts, especially as more employers keep investing in AI and automation.
More on health, care, money and the people nearby, on Westlake Arrow.