2026 started with an avalanche of tech layoffs. In just six weeks, from January 1 to February 14, 39,222 tech employees have been laid off across 104 companies, according to data compiled by Layoffs.fyi. The pace is alarming: if it continues, 2026 could easily surpass the 152,000 layoffs recorded in all of 2025.
Companies with the most layoffs in 2026
The numbers are staggering. These are the companies leading the cuts:
Amazon: 16,000 employees
The e-commerce and cloud computing giant leads the list with 16,000 layoffs, primarily in its retail, logistics, and corporate functions divisions. Amazon justifies the cuts as part of its "operational restructuring to prioritize investments in generative AI." This is the third consecutive year of mass layoffs at the company.
Meta: 1,500 employees
Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) eliminated 1,500 positions from its Reality Labs division, the virtual reality and metaverse arm. After investing more than $50 billion in the metaverse since 2020, Mark Zuckerberg is redirecting resources toward AI projects. The layoffs primarily affect VR hardware engineers and virtual world designers.
ASML: 1,700 employees
The Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer, a key piece in the global chip supply chain, cut 1,700 positions. ASML attributes the cuts to "demand normalization" after the post-pandemic semiconductor boom. Layoffs are concentrated in their Netherlands and US offices.
Autodesk: 1,000 employees
The design and CAD software company eliminated 1,000 positions, citing the "transition to AI-powered tools" as the main reason. Many of the eliminated roles were in traditional software development that, according to the company, will be replaced by AI-automated systems.
Salesforce: ~1,000 employees
The CRM platform cut approximately 1,000 employees despite reporting record revenue of $9.44 billion last quarter. Marc Benioff stated that positions were eliminated because "Agentforce AI agents are replacing functions that previously required people."
The pattern behind the layoffs
Analyzing the 104 companies that have made cuts in 2026, clear patterns emerge:
AI as the primary justification
55% of hiring managers in tech say AI will cause more layoffs in 2026, according to a Resume Builder survey. Companies are using AI as an explicit reason to eliminate roles in:
- Customer support: Chatbots and AI agents replacing entire teams
- QA and testing: AI-powered automated testing tools reducing the need for manual testers
- Content and marketing: AI content generation reducing creative teams
- Software development: Code assistants like GitHub Copilot and Cursor enabling more with fewer engineers
Record profits + mass layoffs
Most controversial is that many of these companies are reporting historic profits. Amazon, Meta, and Salesforce all had record quarters. The layoffs aren't due to lack of money, but margin optimization and Wall Street pressure for greater efficiency.
Hiring in AI, firing everywhere else
While firing thousands, these same companies are aggressively hiring for AI roles: machine learning engineers, AI researchers, AI infrastructure specialists. The tech job market is bifurcating: AI roles grow, everything else contracts.
Comparison with previous years
- 2022: 164,709 tech layoffs (the "great adjustment" year post-pandemic)
- 2023: 262,682 layoffs (the most brutal year in recent tech history)
- 2024: 150,129 layoffs
- 2025: 152,927 layoffs
- 2026 (6 weeks): 39,222 layoffs and accelerating
At the current pace, 2026 could close with over 170,000 layoffs, making it the second-worst year after 2023.
Which tech sectors are most affected
- SaaS/Enterprise software: 28% of layoffs
- E-commerce/Retail tech: 22%
- Hardware/Semiconductors: 15%
- Fintech: 12%
- Social media/Entertainment: 10%
- Other: 13%
What you can do if you work in tech
- Learn AI and machine learning: AI roles are the only ones growing consistently. Courses on Coursera, fast.ai, and DeepLearning.AI are a good start
- Diversify your skills: Don't depend on a single stack or technology
- Build an active network: 70% of tech jobs are found through referrals
- Save aggressively: Have at least 6-9 months of expenses in emergency savings
- Consider smaller companies: Startups and mid-size companies are often more stable than big tech during cutting periods
- Update your portfolio: Personal projects featuring AI on your GitHub can make the difference
Mass tech layoffs are the new normal. The question is no longer "whether there will be layoffs" but "how prepared are you" when they reach your company.
