The wave of mass layoffs sweeping through the tech industry has intensified in 2025, with over 1,00,000 employees losing their jobs across 218 companies so far, according to data from Layoffs.fyi.
From Silicon Valley to Bengaluru, tech giants are trimming staff to refocus on artificial intelligence, cloud services, and profitability after years of overexpansion during the pandemic.
Intel, Amazon lead job cuts
Intel has announced the year’s largest single downsizing, cutting 24,000 roles, or roughly 22% of its global workforce. The restructuring affects facilities across the U.S., Germany, Costa Rica, and Poland, as the chipmaker struggles to regain competitiveness against Nvidia and AMD.
Amazon, meanwhile, has eliminated up to 14,000 corporate jobs across its operations, HR, and cloud units. CEO Andy Jassy described the move as part of efforts to “run Amazon like the world’s largest startup,” streamlining operations to fund AI investments.
Microsoft, Google, Meta also tighten belts
Microsoft has laid off about 9,000 employees this year in multiple rounds, mostly from its product and software divisions, as it redirects resources toward AI and cloud innovation.
Google and Meta have also carried out workforce reductions, with cuts in their Android, hardware, and AI teams, to optimise spending and consolidate overlapping roles.
Oracle, too, has trimmed hundreds of jobs in its U.S. offices while accelerating its pivot to AI-driven cloud platforms.
Indian IT space feels the heat
India’s largest software exporter, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has recorded its steepest-ever quarterly headcount decline, slashing around 20,000 jobs in the July–September 2025 quarter. The company cited “AI-led restructuring” and a growing skills mismatch, marking its first major workforce contraction since 2022.
Other Indian IT firms are also exercising caution on hiring as automation reduces manpower requirements across mid-level roles.
Broader corporate cuts: UPS, Ford, PwC join in
The layoff trend has spread beyond the tech sector.
UPS is executing its biggest-ever workforce reduction, axing 48,000 jobs as automation transforms its logistics network. Ford plans to cut between 8,000 and 13,000 jobs to streamline its electric vehicle operations, while
PwC has reduced 5,600 roles globally due to AI integration in tax and audit workflows.
Media conglomerate Paramount Global has also shed 2,000 jobs amid streaming losses and weak advertising demand.
The global figure, one of the highest in recent years, indicates how AI disruption, automation, and cost-cutting are reshaping workforces worldwide.