The global tech industry has seen massive layoffs and structural changes over the past month. Meta, Oracle and Microsoft together affected approximately 46,750 employees. Companies are calling it part of restructuring and investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI), but for thousands of employees it has brought uncertainty and job loss.
According to experts, this period is also important because on one hand companies are rapidly investing in AI and future technologies, while on the other hand a large number of employees are being laid off. This is indicating a major change in the way of working and the nature of employment in the industry.
Impact on 8,000 jobs in Meta
Meta is preparing to lay off about 8,000 employees, which is about 10 percent of its total workforce. Apart from this, the company has also decided to stop thousands of new recruitments.
The company plans to invest up to $135 billion on AI this year, which is equal to its total spending in the last three years. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already indicated that the increasing use of AI could reduce the need for large teams. “I think 2026 will be the year when AI starts to drastically change the way we work,” he said.
Some employees within the company have expressed concerns about the increasing focus on AI. One employee said, “This company has become obsessed with AI.”
Oracle to lay off up to 30,000
The impact of layoffs at Oracle is said to be even bigger. According to reports, up to 30,000 employees have been laid off here. Many employees alleged that they were suddenly informed about their termination through email.
One woman, a longtime employee of the company, wrote, “Well, after 34 (33 of them very good) years at Oracle, today I join the 30,000 people who have been laid off. This is a huge shock. Many of my best colleagues were laid off too.”
He added, “The layoffs appear to follow the algorithm of high-level individual contributors and mid-level managers – particularly those with outstanding stock options.”
The impact of these layoffs has also been seen in India, where thousands of employees are reported to be affected. Some employees said, there were many good and intelligent people among them and they did not even get a chance to give a proper farewell.
Voluntary retirement proposed to 8,750 employees at Microsoft
Microsoft has opted for voluntary buyouts instead of outright layoffs. The company has made this offer to about 7 percent of its American employees, i.e. about 8,750 people.
This program is for employees whose age and length of service combined is 70 or more. The company’s Chief People Officer said, “We hope this program will give those people the option to take the next step on their own terms, with the full support of the company.” Microsoft is also currently investing heavily in data centers, cloud and generative AI, due to which the company is making changes in its internal structure.
These changes taking place in the tech industry indicate that the impact of AI will become deeper in the future. While companies are considering this as the direction of the future, this period is proving challenging for the employees. Experts believe that this change is not limited to just layoffs, but it is going to change the way the entire industry works and the employment pattern.
Also read:
Mumbai High Court warns government to close dumping ground
“After May 4, TMC goons will have no place to hide”
Supreme Court praised peaceful voting and record voting
Eunuchs opened fire for not giving ‘neg’ in wedding ceremony, groom’s brother seriously injured; 6 accused arrested
Comments are closed.