GM Cuts 500-600 Salaried Jobs as Detroit Three Shed 20,000 White-Collar Roles
Updated
Updated · CNBC · May 15
GM Cuts 500-600 Salaried Jobs as Detroit Three Shed 20,000 White-Collar Roles
4 articles · Updated · CNBC · May 15
500-600 GM salaried employees were laid off this week, mostly in IT operations in Texas and Michigan, with people familiar with the cuts saying shifting workforce needs tied to AI were a factor.
GM is cutting some office roles even as it expands AI hiring and pushes staff to use internal AI tools, reflecting a broader shift toward software-defined, autonomous and electric vehicles.
11,000 GM white-collar jobs have disappeared since its 2022 U.S. salaried peak, the biggest reduction among the Detroit Three; Ford has cut about 5,300 since 2020 and Stellantis about 4,000.
20,000-plus combined salaried jobs have been eliminated by GM, Ford and Stellantis from recent peaks this decade, leaving 88,700 white-collar workers at the end of 2025, down 13% from 2022.
400 of the Detroit automakers' 2,000-plus current U.S. openings involve AI, underscoring how automation is reshaping office work rather than simply shrinking the industry's overall workforce.
Why are Detroit's automakers firing thousands while desperately hiring for new AI-focused roles?
Is AI the real reason for Detroit's job cuts, or a convenient excuse for investors?
General Motors 2026 Workforce Overhaul: IT Layoffs, AI Hiring, and Community Impact
Overview
General Motors is undergoing a strategic workforce restructuring in May 2026 to adapt employee skills to new operational priorities in the rapidly changing automotive industry. This move follows earlier job cuts and reflects a broader trend where automakers are shifting away from traditional IT and engineering roles, investing instead in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, software development, and autonomous vehicles. Driven by technological innovation and economic pressures, GM aims to ensure its workforce is equipped to drive innovation and stay competitive as the industry evolves into a technology-driven mobility sector.