In the first weeks of 2026, over 30,000 people were laid off in the technology sector. Many giant companies, from Amazon to Meta, downsized their workforces as part of an AI and cost-focused transformation.
The wave of layoffs in the technology sector has continued into 2026. Globally, over 30,000 tech employees have lost their jobs since the beginning of the year. If the current pace continues, total layoffs are likely to surpass those of 2025 by year-end. Technology companies, which grew rapidly in the post-pandemic era, have been undergoing a comprehensive restructuring process for the past few years. Since 2021, approximately 1 million tech employees have been laid off worldwide. Initially seen as a retraction of excessive hiring during the pandemic, this process has gradually evolved into a permanent transformation in companies' operational structures. It is particularly noted that fewer employees are needed due to artificial intelligence integration.
US Leads Layoffs by a Wide Margin
Although we are only one month into the year, a total of 30,700 layoffs have occurred. Of these, 24,600 were recorded in the US. While 38 different US-based companies decided to downsize, the highest cuts came from Amazon, Meta, and the payment technology company Block.
In Europe, the hardest hit was Sweden. Telecommunications and network equipment manufacturer Ericsson's decision to lay off 1,900 people placed the country first across the continent. The Netherlands came in second in Europe with semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML's cut of 1,700 employees.
Amazon Announces New Round of 16,000 Layoffs
After parting ways with approximately 20,000 employees in 2025, Amazon exacerbated this situation in 2026. The company announced a new round of 16,000 layoffs at the beginning of the year. This marked one of the largest cuts in the company's history. Amazon had also terminated 14,000 positions in October 2025.
While Amazon carried out these steps under the guise of "simplification," the company generated $716.9 billion in revenue in 2025, growing 12 percent year-on-year. With strong performance particularly on the AWS side, Amazon is reportedly planning up to $200 billion in capital expenditures for 2026. A significant portion of this investment will be directed towards artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure.
Total Layoffs Could Exceed 273,000
Meanwhile, since the beginning of the year, Meta has parted ways with approximately 1,500 employees. The largest cut occurred in the Reality Labs unit, which handles the company's virtual and augmented reality projects. Financial technology company Block Inc. announced it would lay off approximately 1,100 people, or about 10 percent of its global workforce.
If the current trend continues, total layoffs are estimated to reach 273,305 by the end of 2026. This figure could surpass the 245,000 cuts recorded in 2025.
The layoffs in 2025 were driven by automation, AI-driven role transformations, and cost-reduction strategies. Initially, positions more susceptible to automation were targeted. However, Microsoft's recent layoff of 6,000 people, including a senior AI director, indicates that high-level roles are now also at risk.
The companies that have announced the most layoffs since the beginning of 2026, and the number of positions announced, are as follows:
- Amazon: 16,000
- Ericsson: 1,900
- ASML: 1,700
- Meta: 1,500
- Block: 1,100
- Autodesk: 1,000
- Salesforce: 1,000
- Pinterest: 677
- Ola Electric: 620
- Playtika: 500
- Workday: 400
- T-Mobile: 393
- ANGI Homeservices: 350
- Peloton: 287
- Expedia: 262
- Oracle: 254
- Kaseya: 250
- Kiwi: 250
0 Comments: