Global tech layoffs top 91,000 in 2025: Experts share ways to manage stress, uncertainty

With artificial intelligence rapidly reshaping job roles and a global economic slowdown weighing on businesses, fear of layoffs is growing across sectors. According to the latest data from the Layoffs.fyi, 208 technology companies worldwide have collectively trimmed 91,314 jobs as of 13 October 2025.

Industry experts describe the trend as an unfortunate byproduct of automation and hyper-competitive, profit-driven corporate strategies.

Psychiatrist Harish Shetty noted that the stigma once associated with layoffs is fading. "Employees, especially those in mid-senior roles, now expect such pink slips in a world that feels increasingly uncertain and unstable".

However, the psychological impact can vary widely--especially for long-term employees who suddenly lose their jobs after years of loyal service.

'How to cope with layoff anxiety?'

Psychologist Nirali Bhatia said that job loss often brings emotional turmoil--ranging from self-doubt and anxiety to feelings of rejection.

"When someone feels uncertain about job security, they should invest in upskilling, learning, or networking," Bhatia suggested. "True stability comes from adaptability, not merely employment. Instead of focusing on the fear of losing your job, channel that time into building the backup you always wanted".

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For those already affected, she emphasized the importance of rebuilding and moving forward. "Dwelling too much on the setback can lead to overthinking, anxiety, and a sense of failure," she added.

Layoffs in 2025:

A report by personal finance and trading education platform RationalFX listed Intel and Microsoft as the top technology companies cutting staff in 2025. Intel has plans to slash 25-30% of its workforce--around 33,900 employees--by the end of the year, Microsoft has laid off about 19,215 employees across engineering, management, and global teams. India's IT services giant, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reduced its workforce by 19,755 employees in Quarter 2 fiscal year 2026 as part of global restructuring and attrition-driven exercise. CEO K Kirthivasan had earlier announced plans to cut around 2% (approximately 12,000) of the company's headcount, mainly middle and senior management roles.

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Ireland-based IT services provider Accenture is eliminating 11,000 positions globally, citing the inability to retrain staff for AI-related work. Japanese technology conglomerate Panasonic has led one of the largest layoff waves in Asia, shedding over 10,000 jobs. IBM is reducing around 9,000 positions, while Salesforce has laid off 5,000, largely in customer service roles. E-commerce giant Amazon has axed 4,055 employees across departments, and Facebook's parent company, Meta, has cut 3,720 job roles as part of its ongoing "efficiency" drive. Many of these job cuts are directly linked to the integration of AI and automation technologies.

'AI job killer or creator?'

OpenAI founder Sam Altman recently warned that artificial intelligence could replace up to 40% of human tasks. “In many ways, GPT-5 is already smarter than me and many others," he said, adding that the technology's rapid advancement is both impressive and unsettling.

While tech leaders predict broader job displacement, some studies offer a more optimistic view. According to the government's think tank, NITI Aayog, in its latest report, mentioned that AI could create up to 4 million new jobs in India by 2030.

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In a report, Job Creation in the AI Economy, the think tank released a range of emerging job roles in the tech industry, such as AI Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, Data Scientist, Robotics Engineer, Natural Language Processing Engineers, AI Ethics Specialist, Prompt Engineers, and AI Product Managers, among others.

However, the challenge lies in bridging the skill gap and ensuring that the workforce is ready for the jobs that the AI revolution will inevitably bring, said experts.