80k tech layoffs so far this year

Of these, 28,390 roles, roughly 35% of the global total, came from technology companies in the Cloud and SaaS sectors, with Oracle carrying out the largest wave of layoffs this year by far, affecting 25,254 positions worldwide.

These are the Tech Sectors With the Most Layoffs So Far in 2026.

“Cloud & SaaS – 28,390 layoffs across 6 companies

E-commerce & Marketplaces – 18,769 layoffs across 6 companies

Blockchain & Crypto – 4,499 layoffs across 9 companies

Hardware & Electronics

Telecommunications – 2,943 layoffs across 3 companies

Social Media – 2,897 layoffs across 3 companies

Logistics & Supply Chain – 2,000 layoffs in 1 company

Healthcare Technology – 1,641 layoffs across 3 companies

Video Games – 1,614 layoffs across 8 companies

Electric Vehicle – 1,520 layoffs across 3 companies

Other highlights from the report:

Cloud & SaaS accounts for the largest share of tech layoffs so far in 2026, driven largely by Oracle’s late-Q1 cuts of more than 25,000 roles, as it ramps up spending on AI infrastructure. Australia’s Atlassian is responsible for a further 1,600 layoffs amid increased AI investment. Job losses at San Francisco’s Salesforce (1,000) and Workday (400), though smaller in scale, reflect a broader trend of efficiency-driven restructuring, as both firms streamline teams to focus on AI-powered products and higher-margin enterprise services.

E‑commerce & marketplaces recorded the second-highest number of job cuts in 2026, totalling 18,769 layoffs across 6 companies. Amazon slashed around 16,000 roles earlier this year amid broader efforts to streamline operations and invest in automation and AI across fulfillment and cloud services. At the same time, eBay announced cuts to roughly 6% of its global workforce, about 800 employees, as it restructures in the wake of its $1.2 billion Depop acquisition and refocuses spending on strategic priorities, including AI‑enhanced buyer/seller tools.

In the blockchain & crypto space, 9 firms collectively slashed 4,499 positions amid market pressure and a broader pivot toward automation: Block kicked off the year by axing around 4,000 jobs, nearly 40% of its workforce, as CEO Jack Dorsey publicly framed AI as a force for reorganising operations around smaller, more efficient teams. Meanwhile, major exchange Gemini has reduced headcount by roughly 30% as it exits several international markets and refocuses on core U.S. operations amid sustained losses, and Singapore‑based Crypto.com cut about 12% of its global staff in March, tying the reductions explicitly to enterprise‑wide AI integration.

Hardware & electronics layoffs in 2026 show a push for efficiency even amid strong demand: Europe’s ams OSRAM cut about 2,000 jobs under its ‘Simplify’ program to reduce debt and focus on photonics and automotive semiconductors, while ASML trimmed roughly 1,700 roles in management and IT to free resources for AI‑driven chip equipment development. In the U.S., FormFactor and Western Digital, which let go of 220 and 134 employees, respectively, made smaller reductions tied to supply‑chain pressures.

AI has emerged as a key driver behind 2026’s tech layoffs, with nearly 38,088 of 80,117 global cuts linked to automation and artificial intelligence implementation. Yet the deeper story goes beyond simple replacement: many of these reductions appear to be part of a broader strategic workforce reset, where layoffs are blamed on AI only to be restructured, rehired offshore, or offered at lower wages. This pattern is becoming increasingly common, revealing that the AI narrative often masks cost-cutting, efficiency drives, or investment signaling. The result is a tech labor market in flux, where the headline number of AI layoffs only tells part of the story, while the real transformation actually lies in how companies are reconfiguring talent to align with automation and new operational priorities.

These findings are based on layoff announcements, WARN filings, and independent reports since January 2026.

For a deeper look at tech sector layoffs, refer to the complete report.

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