Over 1 Lakh tech jobs lost in 2025 as AI reshapes global workforce

The global technology industry is witnessing one of its largest waves of layoffs in recent memory, with more than 1,00,000 employees losing their jobs across 218 companies so far in 2025, according to data from Layoffs.fyi. From Silicon Valley to Bengaluru, major corporations are scaling back their workforces as they pivot aggressively towards artificial intelligence, cloud services, and profitability following years of rapid expansion during the pandemic.

Intel has announced the biggest single round of job cuts this year, slashing 24,000 roles, equivalent to around 22 per cent of its global workforce. The restructuring spans facilities in the United States, Germany, Costa Rica, and Poland, as the chipmaker struggles to regain its competitive footing against Nvidia and AMD.

Amazon has followed with the elimination of approximately 14,000 corporate positions across its operations, human resources, and cloud divisions. Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy said the company is aiming to “run Amazon like the world’s largest startup,” consolidating teams and redirecting savings towards AI investment and operational efficiency.

Microsoft has reduced its headcount by around 9,000 employees this year in multiple rounds, affecting mainly its product and software units, as the firm reallocates resources towards AI and cloud innovation. Google and Meta have also implemented targeted layoffs across their Android, hardware, and AI teams, part of a broader drive to optimise spending and eliminate overlapping roles. Meanwhile, Oracle has shed hundreds of staff in its U.S. offices as it accelerates its transition to AI-driven cloud platforms.

The layoffs have not been confined to the West. In India, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reported its steepest-ever quarterly decline in headcount, cutting around 20,000 roles during the July–September 2025 quarter. The company attributed the reduction to AI-led restructuring and a widening skills mismatch, marking its first significant workforce contraction since 2022. Other Indian IT majors have also slowed recruitment as automation diminishes the need for mid-level technical roles.

The wave of redundancies has extended well beyond the technology sector. UPS is carrying out its largest-ever workforce reduction, cutting 48,000 jobs as automation reshapes its logistics and delivery networks. Ford Motor Company has announced plans to eliminate between 8,000 and 13,000 positions as part of efforts to streamline its electric vehicle operations, while PwC has reduced 5,600 roles globally amid the integration of AI tools into its tax and audit divisions.

The media industry has not been spared either, with Paramount Global laying off 2,000 employees following persistent streaming losses and weak advertising revenues.