Tech Layoffs Top 100,000 in 2026 as AI Spending Drives Fresh Cuts
Updated
Updated · Statista · May 12
Tech Layoffs Top 100,000 in 2026 as AI Spending Drives Fresh Cuts
9 articles · Updated · Statista · May 12
More than 100,000 tech jobs had been cut worldwide by early May, marking a sharp rebound in layoffs after the sector cooled in 2024 and 2025.
Layoffs.fyi data show about 81,700 cuts in the first quarter—the highest quarterly total since early 2023—followed by roughly 20,000 more in the first six weeks of Q2.
Meta, PayPal and Cloudflare are among companies announcing thousands of cuts as tech firms keep prioritizing efficiency and investment in artificial intelligence.
The pace still trails the last downturn’s peak, when Q1 2023 alone topped 160,000 layoffs, but 2026 is already on course to challenge the broader 2023 total of more than 260,000.
With many firms regretting AI-driven layoffs, is the tech industry heading for a massive rehiring boomerang within 18 months?
As tech giants cut thousands of jobs for AI, is this a strategic pivot or a historic miscalculation?