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Companies laying off staff this year include Meta, Amazon, and American Express — see the list

A Verizon store in New York.
Verizon is one of the latest companies to announce job cuts.

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  • Companies including Meta, Amazon, and Visa have said they're trimming staff this year.
  • Many firms, like Wix and Block, have cited the rise of AI as a reason they need fewer staff.
  • See the list of companies letting workers go in 2026.

Big companies are still cutting jobs in 2026.

So far this year, dozens of major brands have laid off employees, continuing a trend of significant workforce reductions across a broad range of industries, including tech, media, finance, and retail.

While prominent brands continue to announce cuts, the broader economy shows that unemployment hasn't spiked. Economists frequently describe the environment as low-fire, low-hire.

The big change is AI.

Several companies, including Block, Coinbase, and Standard Chartered, have cited the impact of artificial intelligence as a key reason for the layoffs.

A World Economic Forum survey last year found that some 41% of companies worldwide expected to reduce their workforces in the next five years because of the rise of artificial intelligence. The survey also found that jobs in big data, fintech, and AI are expected to double by 2030.

Last year, Business Insider tracked layoffs at around 65 major companies, including Amazon, Meta, Paramount, and Starbucks. In 2026, we'll continue to track additional job cuts based on company announcements, WARN notices, and our own reporting.

Here are the companies with job cuts underway in 2026, listed in alphabetical order.

Amazon is laying off thousands of employees
Amazon sign

Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images

Amazon said in January that it would eliminate around 16,000 corporate roles globally.

Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology, described the January move in a company memo as part of broader efforts to cut back on bureaucracy inside the company.

The cuts followed mass layoffs from October 2025, when the tech and retail giant shed 14,000 roles.

In May, Amazon's Selling Partner Services team slashed additional jobs as it continued to reshape its organization.

"Following a recent review, we've made the difficult decision to eliminate a relatively small number of roles in our Selling Partner Services team," a spokesperson told Business Insider.

American Express is cutting 5% of its workforce
American multinational financial services corporation American Express logo seen in its Centurion Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport.
Amex is planning cuts as it prepares for AI to help run its internal systems.

Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

American Express took a $336 million restructuring charge as it plans to cut around 5% of its workforce, the company announced during its third-quarter earnings call.

It employed around 77,000 people by the end of 2025, meaning the layoffs could impact between 3,000 and 4,000 employees.

On the earnings call, the company also highlighted how AI has changed its internal structure.

"There's been a lot of talk about how companies are using AI to increase productivity, automate processes, and generally make their organizations more efficient," Stephen Squeri, Amex's CEO, said during an October earnings call. "We're using AI to do all of those things too."

Angi is cutting 350 jobs
An Angie's List printed publication for 2021 sits on a stack of magazines and other printed materials.

Donald King/AP

Angi, the popular contractor listing site once known as Angie's List, said in January that it was cutting around 350 jobs "to reduce operating expenses and optimize the organizational structure in support of long-term growth." The company also said it's making the cuts "in light of AI-driven efficiency improvements."

In a January 7 SEC filing, Angi said that the cuts would save between $70 million and $80 million in annual spending. The layoffs will cost the company between $22 million and $30 million, according to the filing.

Atlassian is cutting 1,600 employees
Atlassian
Atlassian

Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Atlassian, the enterprise software company and maker of Confluence, said on March 11 that it will be cutting about 10% of its workforce as it invests in AI to reshape its organization.

CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes said in a statement that about 1,600 employees will be affected by the cuts.

"We fundamentally believe people and AI create the best outcomes. Our approach is not 'AI replaces people,'" Cannon-Brookes said. "But it would be disingenuous to pretend AI doesn't change the mix of skills we need or the number of roles required in certain areas. It does."

The company expects to incur $225 million and $236 million in restructuring charges, according to an SEC filing.

Barclays cuts 5,000 jobs
NEW YORK, NEW YORK OCTOBER 21: People pass by Barclays PLC (BCS) headquarters on October 21, 2026. in New York City. Barclays shares (BCS) have gained approximately 218.5% over the past three years, as investors assess whether the bank's earnings justify its share price. (Photo by KHemaz/GVN via Getty Images)

KHemaz/GVN via Getty Images

Barclays, the British financial institution, disclosed plans to cut around 5% of its workforce.

Anna Cross, the Group Finance Director of Barclays, said on an October 22 earnings call that the company expects more than GBP 1 billion in efficiency savings in 2027, which will involve reducing its head count by 5,000 full-time employees.

Cross said that 60% of affected workers are related to "support functions, including fewer developers as AI makes our people more productive."

The company reported Q3 pretax profit of GBP 2.3 billion — about $3 billion — up 12% from the same quarter a year earlier.

Barclays CEO, C.S. Venkatakrishnan, said that the company is moving to "drive even greater cost efficiency through deep technological transformation, reducing the unit cost of product, manufacturing, service and innovation."

British American Tobacco cuts 9,000 jobs
The logo of company British American Tobacco is displayed on a smartphone in front of abstract background on tablet screen.

Illustration by Timon Schneider/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

British American Tobacco said it will cut 9,000 jobs by the end of the year, about one-fifth of its workforce. The cuts will not impact the US arm of its business.

"We are building a future-ready organisation that is more agile, cost disciplined and technology enabled," CEO Tadeu Marroco said in the statement.

The company, whose cigarette portfolio includes brands like Lucky Strike and Dunhill, has stepped up its push in recent years into smoke-free alternatives, such as nicotine pouches and vapes.

Citi's job cuts continue this year
Citibank logo
Citibank will continue to cut jobs in 2026.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Citi will cut more jobs this year as part of its plan to reduce its workforce by 10%, or 20,000 employees.

In a statement on January 13, the bank said that it will continue to reduce head count in 2026.

"These changes reflect adjustments we're making to ensure our staffing levels, locations and expertise align with current business needs," a spokesperson for Citi said.

The plan was detailed in the company's January 2024 earnings report and could save the bank as much as $2.5 billion.

Cloudflare lays off 20% of its global workforce
This photograph taken on January 21, 2026 shows signage of the Cloudflare logo during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP via Getty Images)

INA FASSBENDER / AFP via Getty Images

Cybersecurity company Cloudflare on May 7 said it plans to cut roughly 20% of its global workforce, affecting more than 1,100 employees.

In an internal memo, Cloudflare executives said the company's use of AI has climbed more than 600% over the past three months, and that the rapid shift has forced the company to reconsider its structure.

"We want to be clear that this decision is not a reflection of the individual work or talent of those leaving us," Cloudflare executives wrote in the May 7 memo. "Instead, we are reimagining every internal process, team, and role across the company."

The company's shares fell more than 14% in extended trading following the announcement.

Coinbase is cutting 14% of staff
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

The CEO of Coinbase, Brian Armstrong, said in a letter to staff on May 5 that 14% of its staff would be cut, largely because of AI.

"AI is changing how we work. Over the past year, I've watched engineers use AI to ship in days what used to take a team weeks," wrote. "The pace of what's possible with a small, focused team has changed dramatically, and it's accelerating every day."

Armstrong said this would mean fewer layers and faster decisions in the company. No pure managers, he said — all leaders will now be required to get stuck in and "get their hands dirty."

"AI is bringing a profound shift in how companies operate, and we're reshaping Coinbase to lead in this new era," he added.

Crypto.com laid off 12% of its workforce
Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek is pictured.

Marco Bello/Reuters

Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said in March that the company laid off 12% of its workforce, including "roles that do not adapt in our new world."

"Companies that move immediately and pair the best AI tools with top-performers will achieve a level of scale and precision that was previously impossible," Marszalek wrote in a post on X. "This is where we must go."

Dell cut 10% of its workforce
Dell logos

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Dell cut its workforce by 10% for the third year in a row, the company said in its annual filing with the SEC.

As of January 31, 2026, the company had 97,000 employees, down 11,000 from the same time last year. The decline includes both layoffs and attrition, Business Insider reported.

eBay is expected to lay off 6% of its employees
eBay app

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eBay is set to eliminate about 800 jobs globally, making up 6% of its workforce. The company told Business Insider that it's taking steps to better align with its strategic priorities.

"We are grateful for the contributions of the employees impacted and are committed to supporting them with care and respect," a company spokesperson said in a statement.

Epic Games is cutting 20% of its workforce
Man in suit
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games

Philip Pacheco/Getty Images

Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, said in March that it would lay off more than 1,000 people — about 20% of its workforce — as engagement with the game declined.

CEO Tim Sweeney said in a memo that the layoffs "aren't related to AI."

"To the extent it improves productivity, we want to have as many awesome developers developing great content and tech as we can," Sweeney said.

Estée Lauder is deepening its cuts, now to as many as 10,000 roles
Shoppers gather at an Estée Lauder store at the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex, also known as CDF Mall, on March 5, 2026 in Sanya, Hainan Province, China.

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

Estée Lauder said in its May earnings report that it will deepen its previously announced cuts, which are now expected to affect up to 10,000 jobs.

More than two-thirds of the reductions are in cashier and demonstration roles at lower-performing retail and department stores.

Etsy
Etsy logo
Etsy announced on Wednesday that it was laying off 220 employees.

illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images

Etsy said August 5 that it is laying off about 220 employees, roughly 12% of its workforce.

"We will be saying goodbye to approximately 220 colleagues across the company, with most of the changes concentrated in Product & Engineering," the company's CEO, Kruti Patel Goyal, told staffers in a memo.

The company also reported its second-quarter financial results on Wednesday.

While Goyal's memo made no mention of AI or its potential threat to jobs, she said that the cuts were a preemptive move.

"The answer is that today's decisions aren't a reflection of this quarter or even this year, but of where Etsy needs to go next," she wrote.

Expedia laid off some employees
Expedia Group
Expedia said it was cutting some roles but the scope of the cuts was unclear.

Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Expedia confirmed to Business Insider that it had laid off some employees on January 26 and had also posted new job openings. It's unclear how many of its workers were affected by the cuts.

"We are eliminating roles as well as opening some new roles as we remain disciplined about assessing the skills we need for the future," an Expedia Group spokesperson said in a statement. "We are also simplifying our structure and reducing organizational layers to move faster and with more accountability. These are not easy decisions, and we are grateful for the contributions of our colleagues who are impacted."

Freshworks is cutting 11% of staff
Freshworks app
Freshworks is cutting staff

Illustration by Piotr Swat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The San Mateo, California-based software company said in its early May earnings report that it would cut 11% of its staff in the second quarter. The company had about 4,500 employees at the end of 2025.

The cuts aim "to streamline the Company's organizational efforts and product development process" and increase AI across the company, according to the filing.

On an earnings call, CEO Dennis Woodside said about half the company's code comes from AI.

"Like many other software companies, that is definitely changing how we build products, how fast we can build products, and the amount of people that we need to build products," he said.

The company's stock slumped 35% from May 2025 to May 2026.

General Motors is axing 600 salaried employees
Workers in the automobile assembly production line at SAIC General Motors Dongyue Base in HuangBohai New Area in Yantai, Shandong, China in April 2026
GM is overhauling its tech workforce to prioritize AI and software expertise.

credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

General Motors is cutting 600 salaried employees from its global IT division.

A spokesperson said the layoffs would enable it to "better position the company for the future," by ensuring GM has employees with expertise in AI-native development, data engineering, analytics, cloud engineering, prompt engineering, and AI workflows.

GoPro is laying off 145 employees
GoPro logo
GoPro is cutting 23% of its staff to cut costs.

Illustration by Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

On April 7, GoPro said it would lay off about 145 employees as it tries to cut operating costs and restructure operations.

The layoffs make up 23% of its global headcount of 631 employees, the camera maker said in a regulatory filing.

The cuts will start in the second quarter of the year and will largely be completed by the end of 2026. The restructuring is expected to result in a charge of $11.5 million to $15 million.

The company cut about 15% of its staff in August 2024 to cut costs.

Groupon is reducing up to 400 positions globally
Groupon app

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Groupon said on May 21 that it would cut up to 400 roles globally as part of a restructuring plan, according to a financial filing. It previously said it planned to rebuild as an "AI-native company."

The cuts are expected to happen by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Groupon is looking to generate $10 million to $12 million in gross savings in 2026.

"Up to half of this year's savings will be reinvested into AI infrastructure, talent density, and the tools and teams building the next version of the company," a spokesperson told Business Insider.

Groupon had 1,734 employees worldwide at the end of 2025, according to its annual report.

Heineken has a multi-year plan to reduce its workforce
Heineken logo on building with autumnal trees in front of it.

RAMON VAN FLYMEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Heineken is cutting 5,000 to 6,000 roles over the next two years to boost productivity and bring down costs, according to its latest full-year earnings report.

The company told Business Insider that the divisions and regions where the layoffs are due to take place are yet to be confirmed.

Heineken said in its 2025 report that it faced "subdued consumer sentiment" in the Americas, alongside a "challenging year" for brewers in Europe.

Intuit is laying off 17% of its workforce
In this photo illustration, a person holds a smartphone displaying the logo of Intuit Inc.
Intuit said it's laying off 17% of its workforce.

illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images

Financial software company Intuit announced on May 20 that it would be cutting 17% of its full-time workforce.

The company shared a memo from CEO Sasan Goodarzi to employees that listed five reasons for the culling, including reducing management layers, focusing roles on "high impact work," and closing down two of its offices.

"These changes are a necessary evolution to reduce complexity and architect an organization that operates with the velocity required to fuel our growth engines," Goodarzi wrote in the memo, shared in a blog post on Intuit's website.

Laid-off employees in the US would receive 16 weeks of base pay, plus two additional weeks of pay for every year they have worked at Intuit.

The company said in a May 20 earnings report that restructuring costs from the layoffs would be about $300 million to $340 million.

Kenvue cuts 3.5% of workforce
Tylenol acetaminophen caplets are displayed for sale at a Costco Wholesale store on November 13, 2025 in Simi Valley, California.
Kenvue will be laying off 3.5% of its workforce.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Consumer healthcare brand Kenvue, which produces Tylenol, plans to cut 3.5% of its staff. Kenvue had about 22,000 employees globally, per its latest annual report.

The company wrote in a mid-February SEC filing that its board aimed to reduce complexity and drive operational efficiencies.

The company's layoffs and restructuring efforts are expected to cost $250 million in 2026, per the filing.

LinkedIn is laying off staff and 'scale back' other investments
LinkedIn logo

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LinkedIn CEO Daniel Shapero told employees on May 13 that it was laying off employees, and those in affected roles would receive a calendar invite. The jobs included positions in the Microsoft-owned company's Global Business Organization, marketing, engineering, and product teams.

"We need to reinvent how we work, with agile teams focused on our highest priorities, and by shifting investments toward areas such as infrastructure to fulfill our mission and vision over the long term," Shapero said in the memo.

Shapero also said LinkedIn would "scale back" investments in areas like marketing campaigns, customer events, and underutilized office space.

Lululemon laid off 100 part-time employees at its customer service center
Lululemon store

John Keeble/Getty Images

The athleisure giant said it laid off 100 part-time employees to "strengthen the business." The affected roles are in the company's North American contact center.

"After careful consideration, we have made the decision to transition our North America GEC to a full-time employee staffing model. As a result, approximately 100 part-time positions in our GEC have been impacted," a Lululemon spokesperson said.

Meta lays off workers at Reality Labs and other divisions
The Meta Quest 3s, the standalone virtual reality headset developed by Reality Labs, a subdivision of the American company Meta Platforms, is exhibited at the Qualcomm pavilion during the Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, on March 5, 2025. (Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Meta began laying off employees across multiple teams on March 25, including Reality Labs, Facebook, recruiting, sales, and global operations.

The cuts come as the company ramps up spending on AI infrastructure and talent, alongside broader cost-cutting efforts. Meta said the changes are part of ongoing restructuring to better align teams with company goals, while exploring other roles for affected employees where possible.

Meta first began preparing to slash jobs within its Reality Labs division, the unit responsible for Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse ambitions, in January, three people familiar with the matter told Business Insider at the time.

Two employees said that teams working on virtual reality headsets and Horizon Worlds, the company's VR social network, would be disproportionately affected.

Meta has shifted away from virtual reality in recent years in favor of spending hundreds of billions of dollars on beefing up its AI capabilities.

Nike laid off workers in two rounds
Nike logo on wall

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Nike is cutting roughly 1,400 jobs, mostly from tech, as part of a broader push to streamline operations and revive growth.

In a memo to staff on April 23 obtained by Business Insider, Chief Operating Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy said the layoffs are tied to the company's "win now" turnaround plan, which focuses on improving culture, product, marketing, marketplace strategy, and in-person retail. He described the effort as entering its "final stretch."

This is Nike's second layoff in 2026. Nike said on January 26 that it planned to lay off 775 employees across Tennessee and Mississippi, citing efforts to "streamline" its distribution center operations.

"We are sharpening our supply chain footprint, accelerating the use of advanced technology and automation, and investing in the skills our teams need for the future," Nike said in a statement to Business Insider.

Oracle's headcount fell 13% in a year
Oracle signage near the company's offices in Redwood City, California, US.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Oracle's workforce shrank by roughly 21,000 employees, or 13%, over the past year, bringing its headcount to 141,000 as of May 31, according to a 10-K filing released on June 22.

"The adoption and deployment of AI technologies across our operations have resulted, and may continue to result, in reductions to our workforce," Oracle wrote in the filing.

Oracle also disclosed that restructuring costs surged in fiscal 2026. The company spent $1.84 billion on severance and other exit costs, up from $374 million in the prior year.

The reduction in workforce comes as Oracle continues to invest heavily in AI infrastructure.

Papa Johns is restructuring
A Papa Johns location in Texas
Papa Johns said it will be closing 300 stores over the next two years, including 200 in 2026.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Papa Johns said it is laying off 7% of its corporate staff amid a broader restructuring.

The pizza chain said it will also close 300 locations in North America through 2027, starting with 200 this year.

"Optimizing our restaurant portfolio and strategically closing underperforming restaurants are among the most impactful actions we can take to improve restaurant profitability and fleet health," Papa Johns CFO Ravi Thanawala said during the company's fourth quarter earnings call on February 26.

Patreon, a creator economy company, laid off 20% of staff in July
Patreon

Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Patreon announced layoffs in July.

The creator economy company is laying off 93 employees — roughly 20% of the company — per a memo its CEO, Jack Conte, shared publicly.

Conte wrote that the "market in which we operate has undergone profound change over the last 6 months," and that Patreon needs to cut costs to "remain a stable, dependable rock for our creators."

Pinterest is expected to lay off 15% of its workforce
Pinterest sign

INA FASSBENDER / AFP via Getty Images

Pinterest announced a global restructuring plan that includes layoffs affecting less than 15% of its workforce, according to a January securities filing. The cuts come with reductions in office space.

"We are making organizational changes to further deliver on our AI-forward strategy, which includes hiring AI-proficient talent," a Pinterest spokesperson said.

"As a result, we've made the difficult decision to say goodbye to some of our team members. We are grateful for their service and supporting them with separation packages and benefits," they added.

Saks laid off 16% of its corporate staff, among other job cuts
Saks sign

ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images

Saks Global, the beleaguered parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, conducted several rounds of layoffs as it closed stores and trimmed its corporate staff

In April, the company cut about 16% of its corporate staff, representing less than 4% of its total workforce.

"Following the strategic actions we've taken to secure long-term financial stability, sharpen our focus on luxury and full-price selling, optimize our operational footprint, and exit non-core businesses, we are right-sizing our corporate organization to align with our go-forward strategy," a Saks spokesperson told Business Insider.

The cuts followed Saks's closure of dozens of stores and fulfillment centers in the first quarter, resulting in layoffs.

Saks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January.

Sprout Social cut 20% of staff — about 260 employees
The Sprout Social logo appears on a phone screen.
Sprout Social announced plans to lay off about 260 employees, or about 20% of its staff, citing rapid changes in the industry driven by AI.

Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Sprout Social — a social media management program — announced on July 15 that it will cut 260 jobs, or about 20% of its workforce.

In a letter about the reduction in force, CEO Ryan Barretto said the cuts were due to rapid industry changes.

"This decision is not a reflection of their talent or commitment," Barrett said. "We made this decision because we believe it was the right one for Sprout's future. Our industry, and software more broadly, is changing quickly, and the way companies need to operate and invest has changed with it."

Affected staff will be offered a 12-week severance package, plus an additional week of pay for every year of tenure, fully-paid health benefits for six months, and a cash payment equal to the value of their equity shares that would have vested in the next 90 days.

Standard Chartered plans to eliminate 15% of corporate functions over the next 4 years
Standard Charteres sign

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

Standard Chartered plans to cut 15% of corporate function roles over the next four years, the company said on May 19.

The bank, headquartered in London, credited AI as a driver for the reductions.

"It is not cost-cutting, but it is replacing, in some cases, lower-value human capital with the financial capital and the investment capital that we are putting in," CEO Bill Winters said in a media briefing, Reuters reported.

The company added in a statement: "We are combining the best human talent with AI, investing to support our people into higher-value roles."

T-Mobile cut some jobs
T-Mobile store

Al Drago/Getty Images

T-Mobile cut some staff in early 2026, though the scope of the layoffs is unclear. Some workers posted on LinkedIn saying they'd been affected by the changes in January.

"As the next step in our evolution, we're making some changes while continuing to hire to ensure we have the right focus, structure, and momentum to keep changing the industry through innovation and our long-standing focus on customers," T-Mobile told Business Insider in a statement.

Tailwind cut 3 of its 4 engineers
Typing on computer screen

Krongkaew/Getty Images

Tailwind, a popular web tool, said it cut three of its four engineers in January, citing an AI-driven decline in revenue.

"75% of the people on our engineering team lost their jobs here yesterday because of the brutal impact AI has had on our business," CEO Adam Wathan wrote in a GitHub comment on January 6 that made waves in the tech community.

Target is cutting 500 roles from its distribution and regional offices
Inbound trucks are unloaded at the loading docks.
Inside a Target regional distribution center in Wisconsin.

Dominick Reuter/Business Insider

Target confirmed to Business Insider in February that it would cut 100 district office roles and 400 supply chain positions. It plans to invest instead in additional labor hours at stores to improve the shopping experience and return to growth.

The store improvement effort is a signature priority of the retailer's new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, who started on February 1.

In November, Fiddelke said the company intends to invest an additional $1 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, an increase of 25% from 2025.

TikTok lays off 250 employees
A phone with the logo of the TikTok app lies on an open book
A phone with the logo of the TikTok app lies on an open book

Juliane Sonntag/Photothek via Getty Images

TikTok is laying off 250 employees and closing an office in Nashville, according to documents filed with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Tennessee.

A spokesperson for TikTok US Data Security, a joint venture established in January 2026 to oversee TikTok's US operations, said closing the office will "streamline our operations and better align our teams for long-term growth."

The Nashville office will close in October, according to the documents.

UPS said it will eliminate 30,000 jobs
A dark brown UPS truck sits parked on a street as steam rises from a manhole next to it and a pedestrian walks by on the sidewalk wearing headphones and holding a smartphone.

Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

UPS CEO Brian Dykes told analysts during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call that the company plans to reduce its operational workforce by 30,000 in 2026.

"This will be accomplished through attrition, and we expect to offer a second voluntary separation program for full-time drivers," Dykes said.

He told analysts that the company has identified 24 buildings for closure in the first half of 2026 and will continue to evaluate additional buildings for closure.

Verizon is selling 274 retail stores, affecting about 3,000 workers
A Verizon store in New York.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Verizon said in July that it would transition 274 retail stores into franchise locations as part of ongoing changes at the telecom giant.

The company said about 2,500 retail workers and 500 corporate roles would be cut, and that typically around 70% of store employees accept jobs under the new franchisees.

The move comes two months after Verizon laid off several hundred corporate employees, or about 1% of its head count, as the company reallocates workers across its overall business.

Volvo is cutting 2,500 global jobs
Tourists visit the volvo exhibition area at the Auto Expo in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China on April 30, 2026.
Volvo says it's trying to save about $530 million as Chinese sales and American tariffs hit.

credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Volvo's CEO, Håkan Samuelsson, said the luxury automaker is facing "a very tough environment with strong external challenges," including a fierce Chinese car market, US tariffs, and continued high-priced investments in a new lineup of electric vehicles.

The company said it is cutting 2,500 employees globally — including 2,000 in Sweden — to save around $530 million in response to those headwinds.

Volvo is also ending consultant contracts and planning some targeted employee exits, the company said in a press release.

Walmart said it would cut or relocate 1,000 corporate jobs
A Walmart store is seen on February 03, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Walmart told employees on May 12 that it would cut or relocate about 1,000 corporate jobs to address redundancies and duplicate roles.

Suresh Kumar, Walmart's chief technology and development officer, and Daniel Danker, executive vice president of AI acceleration, product, and design, announced the changes in a memo.

"We've made changes to simplify how the work is organized, make ownership clearer, and better align roles to the work and skills we need going forward," the memo said.

The move follows Walmart's May 2025 decision to cut 1,500 corporate roles as part of an effort to "remove layers and complexity."

The company employed 2.1 million people as of January.

WiseTech is cutting 30% of its workforce
Wisetech logo on smartphone screen
Wisetech is cutting 2,000 jobs.

Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Logistics software maker Wisetech is cutting 2,000 jobs, or 30% of its staff, citing AI-driven efficiency gains.

In a conference call on February 25, CEO Zubin Appoo embraced AI and said that it means more productivity, in less time, and from fewer employees. The Sydney-based company employed about 7,000 people, according to its annual report released in October.

"I am prepared to say this clearly: the era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over," Appoo said. AI is "unlocking levels of efficiency gains across WiseTech that were previously out of reach."

Wix CEO said the company is set to cut 20% of its workforce
Wix logo on phone

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Wix, which provides website-building software, is reducing its workforce by 20%, the CEO told employees in a memo published on X on May 28.

The Israel-headquartered company employs about 5,300 workers.

CEO Avishai Abrahami cited the "fast evolution of AI capabilities" as a reason for the cuts and said the company needed to become a "faster, leaner, and flatter organization."

Workday is cutting jobs
Workday logo

Dado Ruvic/REUTERS

Workday is cutting about 400 jobs, and said on February 4 that the move will help the enterprise software company redirect resources toward priority areas.

The layoffs will primarily affect customer-facing roles that are "non-revenue generating," Workday said in a regulatory filing.

The cuts represent roughly 2% of its workforce and are expected to result in about $135 million in charges in the fiscal fourth quarter, which ended in January.

Workday announced a larger round of layoffs about a year ago, citing the need to invest more heavily in strategic areas such as AI. The company reported about 20,600 employees as of late October.

Visa is cutting roughly 7% of its workforce
A stack of Visa credit cards.
Visa is also cutting thousands of workers, the company confirmed.

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Global payment technology company Visa confirmed to Business Insider that it's cutting about 2,600 jobs.

That's roughly 7% of the company's employee footprint.

"To capture the opportunities ahead and best position Visa to lead this transformation, we must continue evolving how we work," CEO Ryan McInerney wrote to staff in an internal memo, according to Bloomberg. "AI is also helping to accelerate this evolution and shape the way work gets done at Visa."

Zillow cut 500 employees
Zillow branded exhibition booth with blue house-shaped displays and visitors inside a large indoor event space.
Zillow said it was cutting 500 roles.

Julia Beverly/Getty Images

Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman announced on August 4 that the company was cutting 500 employees as part of "organizational changes."

As of December, Zillow had around 7,000 employees, so the changes are affecting about 7% of its workforce.

"These changes are about ensuring we have a disciplined cost structure and getting more efficient, with the right people in the right positions," Wacksman said in a blog post.

Is your company conducting layoffs? Got a tip?
Hand Holds Smartphone Near Computer Keyboard At Desk, Showing Multitasking Communication, Notifications, And Mobile Work Updates For Business Productivity In A Modern Office Workflow.

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A protester and a robot duck hiccup: 2 moments from Jensen Huang's keynote didn't go to plan

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, speaks to Micro Duck robots during his keynote address at the Berlin GPU Technology Conference in Berlin.
Jensen Huang interacted with Microduck robots onstage.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

  • Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's Berlin keynote was interrupted by Greenpeace protesters onstage.
  • Huang was making the case for Europe to build an AI economy with factories and agents.
  • His finale featured a wobbly Microduck robot demo and an AI-generated Eurovision-style video.

Even for a seasoned keynote pro like Jensen Huang, there's always the risk that things don't go fully to plan.

The Nvidia CEO opened the company's Berlin conference on Wednesday to make the case that Europe should build its own AI economy — complete with AI factories, autonomous agents, and robots.

But the pitch was interrupted about 20 minutes into the keynote by protesters holding a Greenpeace banner reading, "Nvidia, clean your dirty business!"

One protester shouted: "Clean up your act! What about the technology that was found in Russian drones? Those were Nvidia chips. What are you doing about that? What are you doing about the environmental destruction?"

Greenpeace protesters held a banner, reading "NVIDIA, clean up your dirty business!"
Greenpeace protesters held a banner, reading "Nvidia, clean up your dirty business!"

John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images

The protester appeared to be referring to an August statement from Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, which said it had identified an Nvidia Jetson Orin computer module in a Russian S-71 Monochrome cruise missile. The agency did not allege that Nvidia knowingly supplied the component to Russia.

Greenpeace said in a press release that it's calling on Nvidia to extend its 100% renewable energy target across its wider supply chain and to conduct audits to ensure its technology doesn't end up in military equipment. Nvidia did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comments.

As security escorted the protester away, Huang said, "Give her a chance," and that "everybody has a chance to say something." He then told the applauding crowd: "All important issues … but let me get through my keynote."

Huang, after joking that he had to "torture" the audience with "some education" before "the entertainment," then pressed on with Nvidia's pitch for Europe's AI future. He unveiled DSX POD, a modular system for AI factories, and promoted OpenShell, a platform designed to help companies run autonomous AI agents securely.

'Pay attention!'

The entertainment came near the end of the keynote, when Huang brought four small robots, known as Microducks, from French startup Pollen Robotics onstage.

The demo was charming, but not entirely obedient.

When Huang told the robots to "take a nap," one kept walking before eventually falling alongside the others. Later, only two appeared to perform a somersault when he asked them to.

Another robot lingered farther away from the group and tripped before getting back up. "Pay attention! Stay focused. Come here, come here. Stay focused," Huang told it. It eventually approached and sat down, drawing laughter from the audience.

Even Microducks need a nap. 😴 pic.twitter.com/mAdJeqacl8

— NVIDIA (@nvidia) October 21, 2026

Huang then closed the event with an AI-generated video of robots singing in a Eurovision-style contest.

The demo came a day after Huang told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Europe could not regulate its way to technological leadership.

"There's nothing to regulate if the industry doesn't thrive," Huang told Merz.

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I went to Paris to see Céline Dion in memory of my mom. I ended up trapped in an Uber during the riots.

Rebecca Mac
Rebecca Mac sat on Galeries Lafayette's rooftop terrace on Saturday shortly before she said the unrest began nearby.

Courtesy of Rebecca Mac

  • Rebecca Mac traveled from Manchester, UK, to Paris for a Céline Dion concert in memory of her late mother.
  • She said she was caught in traffic near Galeries Lafayette as unrest spread through the city.
  • Mac said hotel staff warned her against going outside, saying she was a "perfect candidate" to get mugged.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rebecca Mac, who owns Cosmetic Finance Group, a Manchester, UK-based aesthetics finance company, and Mc Aesthetics, a cosmetic clinic group. It has been edited for length and clarity.

On Saturday, 110 demonstrations drew 550,000 people nationwide, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, including 110,000 in Paris. Organizers put the national total at 800,000.

I went to Paris to see Céline Dion in memory of my mom.

My mom had loved Céline for years. We had tickets to see her before the pandemic in Manchester before she died, but the show was canceled. She never got to see her perform.

Friday's concert was really emotional. "All Coming Back to Me Now" and "I'm Alive" made me emotional, but "My Heart Will Go On" was the one that really made me cry.

Seeing Céline felt like I was finally doing it for my mom. Little did I know, less than 24 hours later, my friend and I would be trapped in an Uber during the Paris riots.

We had no way of getting out

At about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, we left Galeries Lafayette and saw what felt like a sea of people marching toward us. We were like: "Oh my god. This is crazy." We walked away and got an Uber outside Sephora.

Every road the driver tried was closed. He told us to get out, but young men were running past the car, throwing things and banging. We said: "No, we're not getting out of the car in the middle of this."

Rebecca Man was in her Uber from Galeries Lafayette to her hotel on Saturday
Rebecca Mac's Uber journey was disrupted by the riots.

Courtesy of Rebecca Man

Then people threw metal barriers into the road so cars could not pass. We were stuck there, panicking. Within seconds, police with riot shields charged in from the other side.

We thought the crowd was coming toward us and that we were trapped in the middle. The taxi stood still for a few minutes. It felt like we had no way of getting out.

Riot police stand outside a Louis Vuitton store in central Paris during the unrest.
Mac's Uber passed riot police standing outside a Louis Vuitton store in central Paris amid the unrest.

Courtesy of Rebecca Mac

The police formed a line in front of the car and cleared the barriers so traffic could move. It took about 20 minutes to get back to Le Damantin Hôtel & Spa, near the Champs-Élysées, where we were staying.

Roads were sectioned off, and police on motorbikes and police vans with sirens kept passing us as we drove away.

It was very stressful. It just felt very surreal and very long. We were just relieved to be back at the hotel and safe.

'Perfect targets to be mugged'

Later that night, hotel staff locked the doors as we were leaving for dinner.

Men in balaclavas were passing outside. A staff member told us: "You cannot go out," and said we looked like "perfect targets to be mugged."

After waiting for about an hour, we decided to take a taxi to the restaurant, which was just around the corner.

But it stopped across the road, where another group of six masked men was standing outside. It was quite intimidating, so we walked around parked cars to avoid getting too close to them.

Rebecca Mac (right) and her friend
Rebecca Mac (right) and her friend on their way to Céline Dion's concert on Friday.

Courtesy of Rebecca Mac

I wanted to get home

My Sunday flight to Manchester was delayed, so I booked a 9 a.m. flight to London and then an Uber home to Manchester.

I kept thinking about my children. We had been to Paris a couple of years earlier for Disneyland with my little girl, my niece, and my nephew. I thought: Imagine if this had happened then.

I'm so grateful I saw Céline on Friday. It is a memory I will remember forever. But I'm very upset and disappointed because I do like to go to Paris quite a lot.

The whole experience made me lose my love for Paris a bit.

Additional reporting by Amanda Goh.

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Microsoft president warns Trump's immigration crackdown could drive top AI talent abroad

Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, at the International AI Summit in Dublin on October 14, 2026
Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, defended the company's use of visas and green cards.

Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Bloomberg via Getty Images

  • Microsoft President Brad Smith warned that US immigration policies could drive AI talent overseas.
  • "Let's not put that at risk," Smith said.
  • The Trump administration recently suspended Microsoft and other tech firms from a green card program.

If America wants to win the AI race, sending the world's brightest engineers packing might not be a winning strategy.

That's the warning from Microsoft President Brad Smith, who said the Trump administration's immigration crackdown risks driving the next generation of AI talent away from the United States.

"I think we should all be worried about sending intentionally or inadvertently or otherwise, signals that send the most talented next wave of AI software engineers to other countries rather than the United States," Smith said in an episode of Politico's "The Decoded Podcast" that aired on Thursday.

His comments come after the Trump administration announced last week that it was suspending Microsoft, Adobe, and several other technology companies from a federal program that sponsors foreign workers for permanent residency.

Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the Permanent Labor Certification, or PERM, program by laying off American employees while hiring lower-paid foreign workers.

Smith, who Business Insider reported was recently put in charge of Microsoft's communications, pushed back against those allegations, saying the administration had presented a misleading picture of Microsoft's hiring practices.

US Vice President JD Vance speaks during a midterm campaign rally at the LevelUp Training Complex
US Vice President JD Vance has criticized Microsoft's use of visa programs.

Daniel Heuer-Pool/Getty Images

"What was presented as Microsoft replacing 6,000 people who lost their jobs with 9,000 foreigners was frankly completely off base," he said.

Smith said most of the company's visa and green card applications concerned existing employees rather than new hires, adding that Microsoft had hired 9,200 American workers in its last fiscal year.

"That was left out of the narrative," he said.

He also rejected suggestions that Microsoft pays foreign workers less than their American counterparts, saying employees are compensated under the same system regardless of immigration status.

The American dream, on hold

The dispute comes amid growing uncertainty for skilled foreign workers in the US.

As part of our ongoing H-1B Fallout series, Business Insider previously reported that the Trump administration's shifting immigration policies have prompted some international workers to explore opportunities abroad, including in countries like the UK, Germany, and Canada.

An analysis of federal data by Business Insider found that certified H-1B applications fell 10% in the first nine months of fiscal year 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. Applications for data scientists, however, rose 22.5%, highlighting continued demand for specialized AI talent.

On the Politico podcast, Smith cited immigrants' economic contributions as evidence of what America stands to lose.

He said that five of the six technology and science medal recipients recently honored by President Donald Trump had immigrated to the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-R) applauds as (L-R) CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella, CEO of Dell Technologies Michael Dell, President and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices Lisa Su, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Co-founder of Google and former President of Alphabet Sergey Brin pose for photos after being awarded National medals during the Golden Age of American Innovation Summit at the Institute of Peace on October 08, 2026 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump awards tech execs and founders some of the country's highest scientific honors.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

According to Smith, the companies associated with those five individuals collectively represent more than a quarter of the S&P 500's market value.

Their contributions, he said, benefit not just technology employees but ordinary Americans whose retirement savings and pension funds are invested in those businesses.

"Think about what those five individuals have done for the well being, even the wealth and standard of living, of Americans across the country," Smith said.

"Let's not put that at risk."

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The world reacts to Elon Musk’s flying car

Tesla Roadster
Tesla unveiled a new iteration of the Roadster that can travel upside down.

Tesla

  • Elon Musk's Tesla unveiled its new car, the Roadster, on Thursday.
  • In its demonstration, the car took flight using thrusters and performed kickflips.
  • Here's what smart people in tech and business have to say about it.

Tesla’s long-delayed Roadster finally made an entrance — by flying off a ramp.

At a livestreamed event Thursday night, the sports car climbed a curved ramp until it was upside down, launched into the air, flipped, and landed on its wheels, apparently aided by thrusters beneath the vehicle.

“Well, it worked,” Elon Musk said during the livestream.

Musk said Tesla and SpaceX engineers collaborated on the car, which uses high-pressure air and thrusters to lift itself off the ground. Tesla also showed a recorded demonstration in which the Roadster reached 60 mph in 0.81 seconds.

While the legality of such a device on public roads remains in question, the tech world is reacting to Musk's new creation with awe.

Here is what the leading voices in business and tech are saying about the new Roadster.

Jason Calacanis
jason calacanis gestures on a stage

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Angel investor Jason Calacanis said in an X post that the videos of the flying car looked like "science fiction," and they're real, although they don't seem to be.

He seemed enthused by the demonstration, asking that while the car was only airborne for a couple of seconds, "what if it could keep you in the air for five minutes? Or ten? Or 30?"

Gene Munster
Gene Munster

Brian Ach/Getty Images for LocationWorld 2016

Gene Munster, the managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management and a longtime tech analyst, wrote his two takeaways from the Roadster event on X.

First, that "it was an engineering flex with no commercial value beyond embarrassing traditional car makers."

And the second was that it signaled Musk's ambition to merge his two publicly traded companies, SpaceX and Tesla.

John Carmack
John Carmack, CTO of Oculus VR, makes a brief statement during a press demonstration of the Minecraft for Gear VR at The Village event space in San Francisco, California on March 15, 2016.
John Carmack said he's happy to get the Roadster without the thrusters.

credit should read GABRIELLE LURIE/AFP via Getty Images

John Carmack, the former CTO of Meta's virtual reality division, politely rejected the flying car.

"That demo involved a non trivial chance of embarrassing failure!" he wrote on X.

He added, "I'm only going for the baseline model. At this point in my life, rocket bunny hops are out of my comfort zone."

Marques Brownlee
MKBHD on stage during an interview
MKBHD

Chance Yeh/Getty Images for HubSpot

Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee, better known as MKBHD, appeared incredulous at Tesla's claims about the new Roadster.

"They really just got on stage and said this newly designed 4000+ pound car can do flips and go half the speed of sound (380+mph) and will ship in 2028," he wrote on X. "This is a prank, right?"

Alexandr Wang
Alexandr Wang, chief AI officer of Meta, during the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Alexandr Wang, Meta's chief AI officer, has been trumpeting Muse.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Meta's chief AI officer, Alexandr Wang, had one burning question after watching Tesla's Roadster demonstration.

"wait who the hell was driving the tesla," Wang wrote on X, sharing footage of the car speeding down a dark track.

Dan Ives
Dan Ives at the 2026 Zeta Live Conference at Lincoln Center in New York City, on October 08, 2026
Dan Ives.

Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images

Dan Ives, an analyst at Yorkville Ives and a longtime Tesla bull, said the Roadster reveal was "a statement about where the Tesla and SpaceX engineering stacks are headed together."

He wrote that the car's SpaceX-developed hardware was "a small example of the synergies between Tesla and SpaceX."

Still, he said, "The Roadster will not move the volume or revenue needle," but would "restore the brand halo at the top of the market."

David Marcus
David Marcus at Bloomberg West television interview at the company's headquarters in San Jose, California, on Friday, in 2013
David Marcus.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

David Marcus, the former PayPal president and Meta executive, credited Musk with bringing a sense of awe back to technology.

"The thing I’m most grateful to Elon for is bringing back an age of wonder and excitement to humanity," Marcus wrote on X, sharing Tesla's Roadster demonstration.

"That was jaw-dropping awesome! Screams and mouths wide open in the audience. Nuts."

Sam Altman
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the company's DevDay conference on Sept. 29, 2026.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the company's DevDay conference on Sept. 29, 2026.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, appeared to momentarily set aside his long-running beef with Musk to congratulate the Tesla boss.

"Wow the new roadster looks quite amazing, good job @elonmusk," Altman wrote in a Friday X post.

Altman had reserved an earlier version of the Roadster but said in October 2025 that he had canceled it after waiting 7.5 years, prompting a public exchange of barbs with Musk.

Musk was a cofounder and early financial backer of OpenAI, but he left the company's board in 2018 and has become critical of Altman's leadership.

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