U.S. tech companies reduced their headcounts by at least 94,046 employees between January and August 2026. This figure represents a 16.8% increase compared to the 80,486 layoffs recorded during the same period in 2025. While May saw a peak of 31,513 job cuts, the following months showed a downward trend, with August recording 2,347 layoffs.
Publicly traded companies accounted for approximately 87% of all layoffs in 2026. Amazon led the list with 17,388 cuts, followed by Meta with 10,400, Microsoft with 4,800, and PayPal with 4,760. Other significant reductions were reported by Block, Cisco, Cognizant, Intuit, Amdocs, and Visa. Additionally, Oracle reported a decrease of 21,000 employees in its fiscal year ending May 31, 2026.
The shift toward artificial intelligence is a primary driver for workforce restructuring. AI was cited as a factor in 33% of layoff events in 2026, compared to 1% in 2024. Companies are reallocating capital toward AI development while reducing staff in other divisions. Despite these cuts, some firms, including Amazon, have begun reaching out to former employees to fill new roles in AI and cloud computing.
Private companies also implemented staff reductions, though on a smaller scale than their public counterparts. Epic Games cut 1,000 positions, UKG reduced its workforce by 950, and MyHeritage laid off 500 employees. Furthermore, in early September, Uber announced a reduction of 3,300 workers, representing 10% of its total staff.
