Year ender 2025: Amazon, Meta and other major tech giants announced massive job cuts. Why 2025 became year of layoffs

2025 was a brutal year for companies in terms of layoffs but the tech industry was the worst-hit. Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Oracle, Salesforce, Adidas, Bloomberg are some of the big names that announced job cuts in 2025. While the reasons for slimming staff vary, the cost-cutting measures are coming amid technological change. These job cuts across big companies were mostly driven by rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), automation initiatives and a realisation by companies that the pandemic hiring boom had left them bloated and inefficient. What began as limited cost-cutting steps in January soon escalated into a sweeping industry-wide reset, impacting hundreds of people.

According to data gathered from many trackers and business sources, the United States alone has experienced more than 1.1 million layoffs this year, the biggest number since 2020 and a significant increase from 2024 levels.

Tech layoffs in 2025

Amazon: Amazon announced its biggest ever layoffs, resulting in a massive downsizing of its corporate staff. Amazon laid off approximately 14,000 corporate employees in October — its largest layoff in the company's history. The tech giant also slashed 370 jobs, or 8.5%, at its European headquarters in Luxembourg, impacting software developers most significantly. The move is part of CEO Andy Jassy's push to run the company "like the world's largest startup," according to a blog post from Beth Galetti, SVP of People Experience & Technology.


Intel: Chipmaker Intel laid off more than 5,000 employees across four US states, according to a July 16 government filing. Intel announced that it will cut around 24,000 employees by the end of the year, bringing its core staff down from about 100,000 to roughly 75,000, as part of its new leadership's significant restructuring. The company cut 15 percent of its staff as the struggling chipmaker attempts a turnaround.

Microsoft: Microsoft did multiple rounds of layoffs, thus impacting employees across various departments. Microsoft carried out multiple rounds of layoffs in 2025, cutting about 9,000 jobs, which is less than 4% of its global workforce of around 220,000. The company is preparing to remove nearly 6,000 additional roles across several divisions. Microsoft said the move aims to manage costs while increasing investment in cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

Google: Google rolled out several rounds of layoffs in 2025 that affected teams across its US operations. In October, the company cut more than 100 design roles in its cloud unit as it stepped up its focus on artificial intelligence. The tech giant also offered a voluntary exit programme to US-based employees within its Platforms & Devices organisation, the division responsible for key products like Android, Pixel, Chrome, and Nest.

Meta: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, also laid off employees in 2025 mainly from its artificial intelligence research and development teams. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced plans to lay off approximately 3,600 employees deemed to be low performers. In an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg, CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed the move, explaining that it is a strategy to “raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster.”

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Salesforce: Salesforce has slashed 4,000 jobs from its customer support workforce as the tech giant doubles down on artificial intelligence. The layoffs gutted Salesforce’s customer service division, reducing its headcount from 9,000 to 5,000. AI agents now reportedly handle about one million customer conversations.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): Tata Consultancy Services has laid off 6,000 employees worldwide this year and plans to cut another 6,000 roles in the next fiscal year. The company’s total headcount has fallen below 600,000 for the first time since 2022 after it reduced 19,755 positions in the quarter ended September 30. TCS said its largest-ever round of layoffs was driven by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and strained US-India relations.

Accenture: Accenture has announced plans to eliminate thousands of jobs as it shifts its focus toward artificial intelligence and responds to changing client needs. The company’s global workforce has declined from about 791,000 to 779,000 employees. Accenture said further job cuts may follow as AI adoption expands across the organisation.

Cisco: Cisco also announced plans to cut about 4,250 jobs, representing roughly 5% of its workforce, as part of a major restructuring. Government filings show that 221 roles will be eliminated at the company’s Milpitas and San Francisco offices starting in October. This includes 157 positions in Santa Clara County and 64 in San Francisco.

Oracle: Oracle reduced hundreds of jobs in 2025 as it shifted spending toward cloud computing and artificial intelligence. After cutting roles in its cloud business in August, the company eliminated 101 positions in Seattle and 254 in San Francisco in September. Oracle has also indicated plans to cut 161 jobs in Seattle, 101 in Santa Clara, and about 200 roles in Pleasanton and Redwood City.

Why 2025 was a year of layoffs

In 2025, tech giants like Google and Microsoft to e-commerce leaders like Amazon and social media powerhouses like Facebook, an increasing number of tech firms are reduced their workforce, suggesting a potential paradigm shift. The fast adoption of automation and artificial intelligence has drawn major attention as a key factor behind mass layoffs. Many companies say AI tools can now handle tasks that were earlier performed by human workers, including content moderation, logistics planning, customer support and coding assistance.

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Other companies that announced layoffs in 2025

Adidas: Adidas said it will cut up to 500 jobs at its headquarters in Germany as part of efforts to adjust its organisational structure. The move reflects a broader push to align operations with current work requirements.

American Airlines: American Airlines announced reductions in management and support roles at its Fort Worth headquarters. The airline said the changes are intended to “right‑size for the work we do today.”

Best Buy: Best Buy is trimming staff in its Geek Squad and customer support teams. The layoffs come as the company seeks to improve efficiency in its service operations.

BlackRock: BlackRock is reducing approximately 1 % of its global workforce. The firm said the cuts will help reallocate resources as it aligns staffing with strategic priorities.

Boeing: Boeing announced the elimination of about 400 jobs from its moon rocket programme due to delays and rising mission costs. The company is issuing layoff notices as it reshapes the workforce around revised project timelines.

BP: Energy giant BP is cutting about 7,700 staff and contractor positions worldwide as part of a simplification plan. The company said the reductions aim to lower costs and strengthen competitiveness.

Bridgewater Associates: Bridgewater Associates, a major hedge fund, laid off roughly 90 staff to streamline operations. The cuts reduced its headcount to levels seen in 2023.

ConocoPhillips: ConocoPhillips said it expects to reduce 20 % to 25 % of its global workforce, affecting between about 2,600 and 3,250 roles. The layoffs are part of a broader cost‑cutting strategy for the oil company.

Kroger: Kroger is eliminating nearly 1,000 corporate positions. The layoffs are part of measures to streamline operations and adjust to shifting industry conditions.

UPS: UPS has cut thousands of jobs in 2025 as part of turnaround efforts amid changes in shipping demand and company strategy. The reductions include a substantial number of roles as the logistics firm reshapes its workforce.