Tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Intel have announced mass job layoffs throughout 2025. These mass layoffs are primarily attributed to broad cost-cutting initiatives and a strategic move towards AI and automation across various sectors.
Microsoft has initiated its third wave of job cuts for the year, primarily impacting its sales division and other customer-facing roles. This follows earlier rounds in May, which saw over 6,000 job eliminations (approximately 3 per cent of its global staff), and additional cuts impacting over 300 roles weeks later. These changes align with Microsoft’s significant investments in AI infrastructure, with reports indicating an allocation of approximately $80 billion for data center spending this fiscal year.
Chipmaker Intel has outlined plans for substantial workforce reductions too, intending to lay off between 15 per cent and 20 per cent of its employees within the Intel Foundry division, starting in July. This could affect over 10,000 employees globally. This is Intel’s third major round of layoffs within a year, part of a wider restructuring under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, aiming to streamline operations after reporting an $821 million loss in Q1 2025.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has indicated that company anticipates ongoing workforce reductions specifically due to the integration of generative AI technologies into its processes. In 2025 alone, 14,000 corporate roles were cut in middle management, customer service, software development, HR, and internal communications.
Beyond these names, several other notable tech firms have also announced job cuts in 2025:
CrowdStrike
The cybersecurity firm announced plans to lay off 5 per cent of its global workforce, citing a need to operate more efficiently using AI productivity. These cuts are part of a strategic realignment amidst market volatility and rising costs, with AI flattening its hiring curve and streamlining go-to-market efforts.
Block
The fintech company implemented job cuts affecting 931 employees in March 2025, following an earlier round of roughly 1,000 roles in January. CEO Jack Dorsey stated these cuts were for strategic reasons and to eliminate workers who perform below company standards, as well as to flatten the organisation by removing managerial positions.
Meta
Meta continues its ongoing restructuring efforts with significant job cuts in April within its Reality Labs division. After laying off more than 21,000 workers since 2022, CEO Mark Zuckerberg had announced in an employee memo that Meta would lay off roughly 5 per cent of its workforce (about 3,600 employees) through “performance-based cuts” beginning February 10, 2025.
Walmart
The retail giant initiated corporate staff layoffs affecting fewer than 1,500 employees, primarily within its global technology team and certain advertising roles. These cuts are part of a broader initiative to “streamline operations, accelerate decision-making, and enhance efficiency amidst economic volatility,” with an internal memo indicating a focus on simplifying organisational structure and reducing operational complexities.