logo
Big tech layoffs: Microsoft, Amazon, Google are on layoff spree, over 61000 jobs slashed in 2025

Big tech layoffs: Microsoft, Amazon, Google are on layoff spree, over 61000 jobs slashed in 2025

India Today16-05-2025

The tech industry is once again facing a wave of widespread layoffs. Big tech players including Microsoft, Amazon and Google are slashing thousands of jobs again amid unstable economic conditions. As revenues take a hit, and artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes offices and work, companies are making deep cuts to improve efficiency and redirect their resources.According to layoff tracker Layoffs.fyi, so far in 2025, over 61,220 tech workers have been laid off across 130 companies. Here is a brief look at all the recent layoffs announced by big tech companies like Microsoft and Google. advertisementMicrosoft announces mass layoffsPerhaps the most notable of layoffs in this round have been announced by Microsoft. On 13 May, the Redmond-based giant announced its decision to cut 6,000 jobs — its largest layoff since 2023 — impacting about 3 per cent of its global workforce of 228,000. These layoffs have affected employees across all levels and locations, including nearly 2,000 in Washington state alone.
Microsoft says that it is restructuring teams to stay competitive in what it describes as a 'dynamic marketplace.' The company has clarified that the latest job cuts are not performance-related but are instead part of efforts to reduce layers of management and increase the ratio of engineers to non-technical staff.Notably, earlier in January, Microsoft had also carried out smaller performance-based layoffs and trimmed roles in the gaming and sales divisions.Google announces more job cutsadvertisementGoogle has been trimming large and small numbers of employees following the mass layoffs in 2023. Recently, the company joined the layoff trend again, cutting approximately 200 jobs from its global business unit in early May. This team handles sales and partnerships and is now undergoing restructuring to 'drive greater collaboration' and serve customers more effectively, Reuters noted in a report.The layoffs at Google follow a series of workforce reductions earlier this year, including hundreds of jobs in its Platforms & Devices unit (Android, Pixel, Chrome) in April, voluntary exits, and cuts in its cloud division in February. Notably, the company's parent, Alphabet, laid off 12,000 workers — 6 per cent of its global workforce — in January 2023.Amazon also slashing jobsNews of another round of layoffs came from Amazon as well this month, as the company laid off around 100 employees from its Devices and Services unit, which oversees products like Echo speakers, Alexa, Kindle, and Zoox self-driving cars. According to the company, these layoffs were needed to align better with its product roadmap and streamline operations.Amazon's latest layoffs follow earlier workforce reductions which happened earlier this year in 2025 and continue a broader effort to eliminate what the company called 'unnecessary layers' in its organisational structure.CrowdStrike announces job cutsAnother notable layoff announcement came from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which joined the trend last week. It confirmed in an email to its employees that it is laying off 5 per cent of its workforce to sharpen focus on profitability and long-term success. The company did not provide an exact number but emphasised the changes are part of a strategic workforce realignment.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Intel and more: List of top US tech giants that have announced mass layoffs in 2025
Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Intel and more: List of top US tech giants that have announced mass layoffs in 2025

Economic Times

time30 minutes ago

  • Economic Times

Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Intel and more: List of top US tech giants that have announced mass layoffs in 2025

Reuters Microsoft is not alone as the tech layoff wave is still kicking in 2025. Microsoft recently announced its third round of layoffs and is preparing to eliminate thousands of jobs primarily targeting its sales division. The job cuts are expected to be announced in early July as the company continues restructuring amid massive AI investments, Bloomberg reported. Microsoft is not alone as the tech layoff wave is still kicking in 2025. Intel says it planned to lay off 15% to 20% of workers in its Intel Foundry division starting in July. CrowdStrike announced a 5% workforce reduction last month. And Amazon CEO Andy Jassy just recently warned it will shrink its workforce in coming years due to a quote 'once-in-a-lifetime reinvention of everything we know", in a reference to generative AI. ALSO READ: Amazon's one-month deadline to US employees amid mass layoff fear: Resign in 60 days or... With AI reshaping some workforces, a number of companies have announced mass layoffs in 2025, following two years of significant job cuts across tech, media, finance, manufacturing, retail, and energy. Even though the reasons for sacking employees varies from one company to another, the cost-cutting measures are coming amid technological change, according to a Business Insider report.-Intel: Intel is preparing to sack between 15% and 20% of its Intel Foundry workforce beginning in July, marking one of the largest job cuts in the semiconductor giant's history. The layoffs are expected to affect more than 10,000 employees worldwide, representing roughly one-fifth of the company's manufacturing division. Unlike in prior layoff rounds, Intel will forgo voluntary buyouts and early retirement options, instead choosing employees for dismissal based on performance reviews and alignment with strategic investment priorities across its global manufacturing network. -Crowdstrike: Crowdstrike, the cybersecurity company that became a household name after causing a massive global IT outage last year has announced it will cut 5% of its workforce in part due to 'AI efficiency'. In a note to staff earlier this week, released in stock market filings in the US, CrowdStrike's chief executive, George Kurtz, announced that 500 positions, or 5% of its workforce, would be cut globally, citing AI efficiencies created in the business. ALSO READ: 16 billion passwords leaked in largest data breach ever: Check tips to protect your Facebook, Instagram accounts -Amazon: The boss of Amazon has told white collar staff at the e-commerce company their jobs could be taken by artificial intelligence in the next few years. Andrew Jassy told employees that AI agents – tools that carry out tasks autonomously – and generative AI systems such as chatbots would require fewer employees in certain areas. 'We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs. 'It's hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce.'-Block: Jack Dorsey's fintech company, Block, is laying off nearly 1,000 employees, according to TechCrunch and The Guardian, in its second major workforce reduction in just over a year. The company, which operates Square, Afterpay, CashApp, and Tidal, is transitioning nearly 200 managers into non-management roles and closing almost 800 open positions, according to an email obtained by TechCrunch. -Meta: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg informed employees in an internal memo, obtained by BI in January, that he had "decided to raise the bar on performance management" and would move swiftly to "exit low-performers." Layoffs began in February, records reviewed by BI show, with significant reductions affecting teams managing Facebook, the Horizon VR platform, and logistics. In April, Meta also implemented further layoffs within its Reality Labs division, though the exact number of job cuts was not disclosed. Previously, the company had laid off more than 21,000 workers since 2022. ALSO READ: 6 times in one post: Trump brings up Nobel Peace Prize again and again -Microsoft: Microsoft cut an unspecified number of jobs in January based on employees' performance. Workers were told that they wouldn't receive severance and that their benefits, such as medical insurance, would stop immediately, BI reported. The company also laid off some employees in January at divisions including gaming and sales. -Walmart: On May 21, Reuters reported that Walmart plans to cut approximately 1,500 jobs as part of a broader effort to streamline its operations. The layoffs will impact teams across global technology, operations, U.S. e-commerce fulfillment, and Walmart Connect, the company's advertising division. With a workforce of about 1.6 million employees, Walmart remains the largest private employer in the United States. In a May 15 interview with CNBC, CFO John David Rainey said customers can expect price hikes at the beginning of summer due to the impact of tariffs. (With agency inputs)

Apple AI troubles continue, sued by shareholders over Apple Intelligence and Siri delays; here's what lawsuit claims
Apple AI troubles continue, sued by shareholders over Apple Intelligence and Siri delays; here's what lawsuit claims

Time of India

time34 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Apple AI troubles continue, sued by shareholders over Apple Intelligence and Siri delays; here's what lawsuit claims

Apple is facing a proposed securities fraud class action lawsuit from its shareholders, a report claims. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the lawsuit claims that the Cupertino-based tech giant understated the time required to integrate advanced artificial intelligence into its Siri voice assistant, which caused a delay in rolling out these features and has allegedly harmed iPhone sales and Apple's stock price. The complaint covers shareholders who experienced significant losses in the year leading up to early June, when Apple introduced new product features but limited AI advancements. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco federal court, names Apple, CEO Tim Cook , CFO Kevan Parekh, and former CFO Luca Maestri as defendants. What the Apple shareholders' lawsuit against the company claims As per the Reuters report, a group of shareholders led by Eric Tucker has alleged that Apple misled investors during its June 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference by suggesting that AI would be a key selling point for the upcoming iPhone 16, particularly through its Apple Intelligence features aimed at enhancing Siri. However, the lawsuit claims Apple did not have a working prototype of the AI-based Siri upgrades and had no reasonable basis to believe the features would be ready in time for the iPhone 16 launch. Apple shareholders have argued that concerns started to surface in March, when the company postponed some Siri improvements to 2026, the Reuters report notes. The issue continued into Apple's WWDC developer event in June, where the company's update on its AI progress fell short of analyst expectations. Since its peak in December 2024, Apple's share value has dropped by nearly 25%, resulting in an estimated $900 billion decline in the company's market capitalisation, the report adds. World Music Day 2025: Tech That Changed How We Listen to Music AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

Romania finally gets a prime minister, budget crisis PM Bolojan's first test
Romania finally gets a prime minister, budget crisis PM Bolojan's first test

First Post

time39 minutes ago

  • First Post

Romania finally gets a prime minister, budget crisis PM Bolojan's first test

Romania's President Nicusor Dan nominated Ilie Bolojan, leader of the National Liberal Party, after weeks of coalition talks. Now, the biggest challenge in the new government's hands will be tackling the budget crisis read more Romania's new pro-Western president, Nicusor Dan, on Friday nominated Ilie Bolojan, leader of the pro-European National Liberal Party (PNL), as the country's next prime minister. AP Romania's new pro-Western President, Nicusor Dan , nominated Ilie Bolojan, leader of the pro-European National Liberal Party (PNL), as the country's next prime minister. The move was announced on Friday, marking an end to the weeks of political uncertainty following the annulled December presidential elections. The 56-year-old centre-right leader was serving the role of Senate president and is known for his reformist approach and administrative discipline. It is pertinent to note that Bolojan had previously served as acting president from February to May, when Dan defeated a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The nomination came as Romania, a European Union and NATO member state, is seeking to end a protracted political crisis that has gripped the nation since last year. Bolojan was nominated following a fresh round of talks between Dan and PNL. The biggest challenge facing Bolojan now will be taking care of the budget crisis in the country. The budget crisis: Bolojan's biggest challenge The 56-year-old leader will be tasked with tackling Romania's dire finances and reconciling the divided EU member. The country's budget deficit stood at 9.3 per cent at the end of last year, making it the highest in the European Union, AFP reported. In a press conference last week, Bolojan said Romania was 'in a complicated situation', adding that the incoming government would have to resort to 'unpopular measures' that could include cutting public spending and imposing tax rises. Meanwhile, Political scientist Sergiu Miscoiu told AFP that Bolojan was 'the person best placed to take unpopular measures to tackle the serious budget crisis'. However, analysts also point out that apart from a brief time as interim president, he had 'no experience in national politics'. Apart from this, deep social divisions in the nation were also made clear by the controversies that surrounded the presidential election. According to Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, the new government will face the challenge of reaching a longer-term consensus over already delayed state reforms. 'There is only a disputed agreement on very short-term measures for the economic and budget crisis,' the political consultant told The Associated Press. 'If the short-term measures come with a social cost, inflation … (and) will not be met by profound changes in policies and institutions, then the political crisis will loom over the next years and (future) elections," he furthered. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What comes next Bolojan's nomination will now need to be approved by the country's parliament. According to Euro News, his government is expected to be comprised of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. Ahead of his nomination, the PSD has pushed for a power-sharing agreement that would see a rotation of the prime ministerial post. While speaking after being nominated for the prime ministerial position, Bolojan said he's 'fully aware of the great responsibility' the role will bring and acknowledged it 'will not be an easy undertaking.' 'I will pursue three priorities: to restore order to the country's finances, to work toward good governance that creates conditions for development in Romania, and … to show proper respect to the Romanian people," he furthered. While the far-right parties recently won a third of the parliament seats, they were kept out of the talks to form a new government. Defeated presidential candidate labelled the move as 'a disgrace and an insult'. Meanwhile, the European Union has voiced concerns over the rise of Eurosceptic parties in NATO member Romania that are opposed to sending military aid to Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store