AI pressure pushes global tech layoffs past 100,000

The global technology industry has entered another round of mass layoffs in 2026, with more than 100,000 jobs cut worldwide in the first five months of the year as companies restructure operations, control costs and shift more resources into artificial intelligence.

The latest data, compiled by Statista from Layoffs.fyi, which tracks publicly disclosed job cuts in the tech sector, shows that the industry’s retrenchment has accelerated again after easing during 2024 and 2025. By early May, more than 100,000 technology jobs had already been eliminated globally.

The figure reflects renewed pressure across the sector, as companies seek to improve efficiency while redirecting capital and manpower towards AI investment, where competition has become increasingly intense.

First quarter sees sharpest cuts since 2023

The report said around 81,700 tech jobs were cut in the first quarter of 2026 alone, the highest quarterly figure since early 2023. A further 20,000 positions were eliminated during the first six weeks of the second quarter.

The pattern marks a clear shift from 2025, when quarterly layoffs were still relatively limited at around 27,000-37,000 positions. In 2024, the pace of cuts eased steadily, falling from around 57,000 jobs in the first quarter to just over 13,000 in the final quarter.

Big tech returns to cost-cutting mode

The latest layoff wave has hit several major technology firms. Meta, PayPal and Cloudflare have all announced cuts involving thousands of positions in recent months, reflecting a broader industry turn towards efficiency.

Many technology companies are now under pressure from intense competition and the rising cost of AI investment. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in work processes, from customer service and software development to data analysis, some roles are being downgraded, merged or eliminated.

The trend has already been visible in earlier corporate moves. Meta is preparing a major round of job cuts starting on May 20, with the first phase expected to affect nearly 8,000 employees, or about 10% of its global workforce, as part of a broader AI-led restructuring. Amazon has also cut 30,000 corporate roles, while Block has slashed nearly half of its staff, with executives linking the reductions to AI-driven efficiency gains. (nationthailand.com)

Not yet a 2023-level crisis, but warning signs grow

Although layoffs have risen sharply this year, the total has not yet reached the peak seen during the major tech retrenchment of early 2023, when more than 160,000 jobs were cut in the first quarter alone.

Still, the current trend suggests that the technology industry may be entering another restructuring cycle. If layoffs continue at the current pace, 2026 could become another year approaching the scale of the previous downturn, when more than 260,000 tech jobs were cut globally across 2023.

The shift also carries a wider warning for labour markets beyond Silicon Valley. Previous labour-market coverage has pointed to Thailand’s own exposure to technological change, with businesses increasingly adopting AI and digital tools to reduce labour requirements. Analysts have warned that workers who are not prepared for new skills demands risk being left behind as AI reshapes administrative, management and repetitive functions. (nationthailand.com)