Tag: layoffs

  • Amazon Recruits Former Employees for AI and Cloud Roles After Major Layoffs

    Amazon Recruits Former Employees for AI and Cloud Roles After Major Layoffs

    Amazon is reaching out to former employees, including those affected by recent layoffs, to fill positions in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing. According to a report by Business Insider, the company has initiated a “Boomerang Reengagement Initiative” to bring back former staff.

    Amazon Launches Former Employee Outreach

    Recruiter emails seen by Business Insider reveal that Amazon’s AI agent organization, under AWS Vice President Swami Sivasubramanian, contacted former employees last month about available AI and machine learning positions. The outreach was described as “Swami’s Boomerang Reengagement Initiative.”

    In another instance, an AWS Finance recruiter contacted a former employee and offered an expedited interview process that could potentially lead to a job offer. One email read: “A lot has changed since you were here, and there’s some really compelling work happening across AI/ML right now.”

    Outreach Follows More Than 30,000 Job Cuts

    This outreach comes after Amazon eliminated more than 30,000 positions through multiple rounds of job cuts. Despite these reductions, the company continues to recruit for AI-related roles as it expands its focus on the technology.

    Amazon Says Rehiring is Longstanding Practice

    Amazon told Business Insider that rehiring former employees is a longstanding companywide practice. Company spokeswoman Haley Silva said that former employees, including those laid off, could be considered for open positions based on current needs. She clarified that the outreach was not specifically aimed at people who had left because of Amazon’s return-to-office policy, and that workplace attendance requirements remain unchanged.

    “We’re always interested in connecting with talented people, both new candidates and former Amazonians, for open roles,” Silva was quoted as saying.

  • Xbox Restructuring: 268 Jobs Cut as Halo Development Shifts to Activision

    Xbox Restructuring: 268 Jobs Cut as Halo Development Shifts to Activision

    Microsoft is eliminating 268 roles across its Xbox division as part of a broader restructuring, with Halo development moving to Activision and several studios being reorganized or divested.

    Halo Development Shifts to Activision

    Activision will take on the next mainline Halo title through a newly formed team that will stay separate from its Call of Duty development groups. Halo Studios will continue in a smaller capacity, supporting the Halo community and existing games on the market. Activision is also expanding its responsibilities to include Rare, the studio behind Sea of Thieves, and World’s Edge, the team overseeing the Age of Empires franchise.

    Studio Reorganization and Divestitures

    Bethesda will take responsibility for Obsidian Entertainment, while King will add Microsoft Casual Games to its operations. Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios are being combined into a single studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises.

    Xbox has also provided updates on previously announced studio exits. Compulsion Games and Double Fine have returned to independent ownership, and Undead Labs has transitioned out of Xbox. Its upcoming game, State of Decay 3, is expected to launch day one on Game Pass under its new publisher.

    Ninja Theory and Arkane Face Uncertainty

    Ninja Theory is facing a proposed closure after two separate agreements to sell the studio fell through. Xbox said it will begin consultation with employees regarding the proposed closure while continuing to explore other options. Consultations over the future of Arkane are also ongoing and expected to run through the end of the year.

    Broader Restructuring Context

    Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty said the changes completed since July, including studio divestitures, have taken the company roughly three-quarters of the way through the previously announced restructuring. The latest 268 cuts follow 1,600 Xbox layoffs announced in July. Microsoft has said its restructuring will affect 3,200 roles during its 2027 financial year. Xbox is expected to provide further updates during an October 6 company-wide town hall.

  • Microsoft Xbox Faces Hundreds of Layoffs in Major Restructuring Effort

    Microsoft Xbox Faces Hundreds of Layoffs in Major Restructuring Effort

    Microsoft’s Xbox division is reportedly planning to cut hundreds of jobs this week as part of a sweeping restructuring of its gaming operations, according to a report from The Information on September 21. The move could also involve consolidating several game studios across Microsoft’s gaming organization, including Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, Activision, and Blizzard.

    The layoffs would mark the second major staff reduction in 2026, following 1,600 job cuts in July and additional planned reductions through fiscal 2027. The reported aim is to improve profit margins by reducing costs and focusing development on established franchises such as Elder Scrolls and Fallout, potentially leaving smaller acquired studios with less investment.

    Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier indicated that layoffs at Blizzard—which largely avoided the July cuts—were ‘imminent’ during a recent podcast episode. Microsoft has not confirmed the report or provided details on specific studios or final job numbers. The restructuring is expected to reshape how Xbox manages its creative teams and could lead to studio mergers or team shifts between publishing groups.

    The latest developments underscore Microsoft’s strategy of concentrating resources on fewer, high-value development groups while deemphasizing smaller projects. No game cancellations have been linked to the reported layoffs yet, leaving the full impact on Xbox’s upcoming portfolio uncertain.

  • Oracle Layoffs in India: 1,500 Mid-to-Senior Staff Affected as Company Pivots to AI

    Oracle Layoffs in India: 1,500 Mid-to-Senior Staff Affected as Company Pivots to AI

    Oracle has initiated another round of layoffs in India, reportedly affecting 1,000 to 1,500 employees, primarily mid-to-senior-level staff in web development and maintenance roles. The cuts began on Monday, September 14, and are part of the company’s broader global restructuring aimed at reallocating resources toward artificial intelligence (AI), cloud services, and data centers.

    According to reports, the layoffs have also impacted senior employees at Oracle Financial Services Software. However, Oracle has not officially confirmed the number of employees affected or provided details on the impact to its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure teams in India.

    This latest round follows multiple workforce reductions earlier in 2026, as Oracle ramps up investment in AI infrastructure. In the fiscal year ending May 2026, the company reduced its global workforce by approximately 21,000 employees. Oracle’s capital expenditure reached $55.7 billion in fiscal 2026, with a significant portion directed toward data center expansion.

    The layoffs signal a strategic shift in Oracle’s priorities, with the company focusing on high-growth areas like cloud computing and AI, while scaling back traditional web development and product engineering teams. As demand for AI and cloud services grows, Oracle is raising additional funds to support its plans.

    Industry observers note that the restructuring reflects a changing skill demand within the company, as it builds more data centers and expands its cloud business. The exact number of affected employees in India remains unverified, and no official statement has been issued by Oracle regarding the layoffs.

  • Oracle Layoffs 2026: Thousands of Indian Employees Hit by 6 AM Termination Emails as AI Strategy Reshapes Workforce

    Oracle Layoffs 2026: Thousands of Indian Employees Hit by 6 AM Termination Emails as AI Strategy Reshapes Workforce

    Oracle has launched a new wave of layoffs affecting its global workforce, with Indian employees in Bengaluru and Hyderabad receiving termination notices at around 6 AM local time. The cuts, which began in the United States on September 14 and expanded to India the following day, are part of a broader organizational shift toward artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure.

    Industry estimates suggest that between 1,000 and 3,000 Indian staff members, primarily in product engineering teams, may lose their jobs. Oracle has not confirmed the exact figures, but the restructuring comes on top of earlier reductions in 2026 that already trimmed the global workforce by approximately 21,000 employees.

    Employees reported losing access to company systems—including email, voicemail, and internal files—before receiving formal termination emails. The messages, reportedly signed by Oracle Leadership, stated simply: “Today is your last working day.” Affected staff were then instructed to provide personal email addresses to receive separation documents and severance details.

    The severance package for U.S. employees reportedly includes four weeks of base salary plus an additional week for each completed year of service. Indian packages vary, with employees discussing different settlement terms on internal forums and social media.

    The layoffs have been particularly jarring for long-tenured staff. LinkedIn posts highlighted employees with 12 years and even 33 years of service among those affected. One widely shared post from Pooja Sahu described her husband Sourabh losing his Oracle role after 12 years.

    Oracle recorded roughly 141,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2026, down about 13% from earlier in the year. The company also reported approximately $1.8 billion in restructuring expenses for fiscal 2026. In September, Oracle raised its estimated total restructuring costs by $700 million to around $2.8 billion, covering severance and exit costs.

    The increased spending reflects Oracle’s heavy investment in AI data centers and cloud infrastructure. The company maintained a capital expenditure forecast of $90 billion to $95 billion for fiscal 2027, with quarterly capex reported at $28.5 billion. The latest layoffs are thus directly tied to Oracle’s strategic pivot away from traditional product engineering and toward AI-focused infrastructure.

  • Uber Slashes 3,300 Corporate Jobs and Tightens Remote Work Policy

    Uber Slashes 3,300 Corporate Jobs and Tightens Remote Work Policy

    Uber is cutting approximately 3,300 corporate jobs in its largest workforce reduction since the COVID-19 pandemic. The ride-hailing giant is also sharply limiting remote-work options, with fewer than 1% of employees expected to remain fully remote under the new policy.

    CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced the restructuring in a message to employees on September 2. He explained that Uber’s rapid expansion over the past five years had created excessive management layers, fragmented responsibilities, and more coordination than the company now requires. The restructuring aims to make the business “simpler and faster” while freeing up resources for growth and innovation.

    Management Layers to Shrink

    Khosrowshahi told staff that Uber is moving toward a model where employees are grouped around a small number of designated hubs. The company’s two largest offices in New York and San Francisco will house global teams, with additional regional, country, and tech hubs for other functions. Under the new approach, fully remote roles will be capped at approximately 1% of the company’s global headcount. This marks a major reversal from the flexible, work-from-anywhere culture Uber had built since the pandemic began.

    The restructuring also brings a major change for employees working from home. Uber plans to ask the vast majority of its remote employees to relocate closer to company offices.

    Future Roadmap

    Uber will continue to enforce its existing hybrid policy, which requires employees to work from an office at least three days a week. The company also plans to concentrate teams in key hubs, including San Francisco and New York.

    These latest layoffs are the biggest at Uber since May 2020, when the firm laid off 6,700 employees amid the pandemic. This time, Uber is positioning the layoffs as organizational restructuring meant to simplify operations and redirect resources toward growth, innovation, and its expanding autonomous-vehicle strategy.

  • Samsung India Cuts 80-100 Executive Roles in TV and Home Appliance Unit; More Layoffs Expected After Diwali

    Samsung India Cuts 80-100 Executive Roles in TV and Home Appliance Unit; More Layoffs Expected After Diwali

    Samsung India has reportedly laid off 80 to 100 executives from its television and home appliance divisions, marking a significant restructuring in its Indian operations. The affected employees are not junior staff but include director-level executives, team leads, and branch and area managers based at the company’s headquarters.

    The job cuts are attributed to rising operational costs, weakening consumer demand, and a broader reorganization aimed at improving profitability. Memory chip prices have more than doubled, while a weaker rupee and higher raw material costs have further strained margins. The cuts are currently limited to the TV and home appliance segment, but sources indicate that nearly 25% of Samsung India’s sales and marketing workforce in the electronics business—approximately 550 to 600 people—could be affected. The company is also closing some regional offices to reduce expenses, and additional layoffs may follow after the Diwali festival.

    Notably, Samsung’s smartphone business has been spared from the cuts. Mobile phones account for about three-fourths of Samsung India’s revenue, making the division far more critical. Samsung is banking on stronger phone sales during the Diwali season, even as the broader smartphone market has seen shipment declines. The company has raised prices on select phone models by 5% to 10% to offset rising costs.

    In contrast, TV and home appliances represent a much smaller portion of Samsung India’s sales, and the company is exploring cost-cutting and sales-improvement measures for these categories.

    This development comes amid a wave of tech layoffs in India, including recent cuts at Zomato, Oracle, and Visa.

  • Etsy Lays Off 220 Employees to Streamline Product and Engineering Operations

    Etsy Lays Off 220 Employees to Streamline Product and Engineering Operations

    E-commerce marketplace Etsy has announced plans to eliminate approximately 220 jobs, representing roughly 10% of its workforce, as part of a major organizational restructuring led by CEO Kruti Patel Goyal. The layoffs primarily affect employees in product, engineering, design, research, and analytics teams. According to the company, the move is intended to streamline decision-making, improve collaboration, and accelerate product development rather than reduce costs.

    More Focused Structure Needed: CEO

    In a message to employees, CEO Kruti Patel Goyal stated that Etsy is redesigning its organizational structure to remove complexity and create smaller, more agile teams. She noted that the company has grown significantly over the years, leading to overlapping responsibilities and slower execution across key business functions. The reorganization is expected to reduce the number of management layers and improve coordination between engineers, product, and design departments. Management hopes the restructure will enable Etsy to deliver new features faster and respond more quickly to changing market demands.

    Etsy Seeks Long-Term Growth

    This move comes at a time when Etsy is trying to build on its marketplace after experiencing sluggish consumer spending and reduced demand for discretionary items in some key markets. The company has been under pressure from shifting shopping behaviors and increased competition from other online players. Etsy stated that the restructuring is designed to position the company for its next phase of growth by improving operational efficiency and increasing the speed at which products are developed and delivered. Affected employees will receive severance packages, extended healthcare benefits where applicable, career transition assistance, and support in finding new employment opportunities.

    Focus on Innovation and Marketplace Expansion

    Etsy emphasized that it remains committed to investing in its marketplace, seller tools, and customer experience. The company plans to develop new features that help independent sellers connect with buyers and provide an improved search and discovery system. Unlike cost-saving measures, Etsy’s latest steps are strategic actions aimed at simplifying internal processes and enhancing effectiveness as the global e-commerce industry becomes increasingly competitive.

  • Visa Layoffs 2026: 2,600 Jobs Cut Globally as Company Shifts Focus to AI

    Visa Layoffs 2026: 2,600 Jobs Cut Globally as Company Shifts Focus to AI

    Visa has announced the elimination of 2,600 positions worldwide, representing approximately 7% of its global workforce, as part of a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence. The layoffs, which began on July 29, primarily affect technology and product teams, with India—home to over 3,500 Visa employees across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad—experiencing significant cuts.

    Employees in India reported receiving sudden layoff emails between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m., with one team losing 10 of its 28 members. Senior staff and managers were not spared. The company has not disclosed the exact number of Indian employees affected in this round, but the move underscores a broader trend of multinational corporations reallocating resources from traditional tech roles to AI-driven initiatives.

    CEO Ryan McInerney has emphasized the role of agentic AI systems that can perform tasks with minimal human intervention, signaling a shift in how Visa’s technology teams will operate. The company aims to reduce costs and redirect investments toward higher-growth areas, with AI at the center of its strategy.

    Former Visa employee Arnab Das shared his experience on X, stating, “My entire team at Visa just got laid off, including my manager.” He noted that his former manager had strong performance reviews and had owned a product from start to finish. The incident highlights growing anxiety among tech workers about AI’s impact on job security.

    The Visa India layoffs add to mounting concerns in the country’s technology sector, where companies like Oracle, Volkswagen, and others have also trimmed staff while increasing AI investments. The trend suggests that technology workers may need to acquire new skills as organizations reshape their workforces around automation and machine learning.

  • Amazon Refocuses AI Efforts: Cuts Nova Models, Bolsters Frontier Research After AGI Lab Closure

    Amazon Refocuses AI Efforts: Cuts Nova Models, Bolsters Frontier Research After AGI Lab Closure

    Amazon is reshaping its artificial intelligence strategy following a series of layoffs in its AGI division and the shutdown of its AGI Lab in July 2026. The tech giant is scaling back development on several Nova models and reallocating staff and computing resources toward frontier AI research and new foundation models.

    The company is reducing the number of major AI projects to better compete with leading AI firms while continuing to serve enterprise customers. This strategic shift also brings AI engineering and computing resources under tighter leadership.

    The moves come after Amazon laid off employees in its AGI unit and closed its San Francisco AGI Lab, which was formed in 2024 after acquiring talent from AI startup Adept. According to Business Insider, Amazon has begun winding down several Nova models, including Premier, Omni, Reel, and Canvas.

    Amazon will continue to support some Nova products for existing customers, though development pace will slow. Models that remain active in the portfolio include Nova 2 Lite, Nova 2 Sonic, Nova Forge, and Nova Act. Nova Forge helps customers customize models, while Nova Act focuses on AI agents.

    Greater emphasis is now placed on Frontier Model Research, led by renowned AI researcher Pieter Abbeel. The team is developing a new foundation model that could debut at Amazon’s re:Invent event later this year.

    An Amazon spokesperson told Reuters, “We’re sharpening our focus on the initiatives that matter most for customers, so we can move faster on what counts.”

    The company also defended its continued AI investment while explaining the model changes. Amazon told sources, “We’re continuing to invest in and support the Nova models our customers rely on today … We’re also investing in the next generation of frontier model research.”

    This shift signals Amazon moving from a broad AI portfolio toward fewer, bigger bets. The company now faces pressure to demonstrate stronger results from its frontier AI efforts.