The technology sector continued a harsh trend of workforce downsizing in the first half of 2025, with more than 62,000 positions eliminated across major companies. Industry leaders—including semiconductor giant Intel, electronics veteran Panasonic, and software titans Microsoft and Google—have cited economic headwinds, strategic pivots toward artificial intelligence, and demands for higher operational efficiency as driving forces behind the cuts.
Intel’s Historic Reduction: Over 21,000 Jobs Affected
Intel announced the single largest layoff of the year, planning to trim 21,700 roles, or nearly 20% of its 108,900-strong global workforce. The cuts span its core operations and the Intel Foundry business, which manufactures chips for external clients. Under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, Intel aims to refocus resources on high-growth areas, even as it grapples with competitive pressure from rivals and geopolitical supply chain risks.
Panasonic’s Global Restructuring: 10,000 Roles Slashed
Japanese electronics conglomerate Panasonic revealed plans to eliminate 10,000 positions—about 4% of its total workforce. Half of the cuts will occur in Japan, with the remainder overseas. CEO Yuki Kusumi framed the move as essential to shift away from low-growth segments like televisions and industrial machinery, and toward emerging technologies such as AI-enabled devices and smart home solutions.
Software and Cloud Giants: Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon
Microsoft: Multi-Phase Layoff Impacts 6,500+ Employees
Microsoft executed a two-tiered layoff process, reducing its global headcount by over 6,500 roles (3% of its 228,000 workforce). The cuts hit software engineering, program management, marketing, and legal departments, part of a broader push to streamline middle management and boost engineering productivity.
Google: Hundreds of Employees Cut in Key Divisions
Google carried out several rounds of layoffs, affecting hundreds in its global business unit, platforms and devices teams (Android, Pixel, Chrome), People Operations, and Cloud divisions. The company also offered voluntary exit packages to certain U.S.-based employees as it reorganizes to accelerate product development and enhance cross-team collaboration.
Meta: Targeted 5% Workforce Reduction
Meta announced a 5% cut—approximately 3,600 employees—focusing on “low performers” as CEO Mark Zuckerberg positions the company for what he calls an “intense year.” Affected divisions include Facebook’s core product teams, Horizon virtual reality, and logistics operations, along with more than 100 roles in Reality Labs.
Amazon: Strategic Cuts Across Devices and Services
Amazon pared down roughly 100 roles in its devices division (Alexa, Echo, Ring, Zoox) and trimmed staff in communications. These reductions form part of a broader cost-management strategy. Since early 2022, Amazon has cut about 27,000 jobs as it seeks to align its resources with evolving customer demands and profit targets.
Specialized Tech Sectors: Fintech, Space, and Cybersecurity
Blue Origin: 10% Workforce Reduction in Space Unit
Jeff Bezos’s space venture Blue Origin laid off over 1,000 employees (10% of its workforce) to streamline manufacturing and launch operations. CEO David Limp attributed the cuts to overexpansion and bureaucracy, aiming to sharpen the company’s focus on rapid, cost-effective space missions.
Block: Fintech Streamlines with 1,000 Cuts
Jack Dorsey’s Block eliminated 931 roles (roughly 8% of its staff), its second major layoff within a year. The fintech firm reallocated management positions to individual contributor roles and closed hundreds of open requisitions, underscoring its drive for operational agility rather than AI substitution.
CrowdStrike: Cybersecurity Tightens Belt with 500 Layoffs
CrowdStrike downsized by approximately 500 positions (5% of its workforce) following a costly global software bug. CEO George Kurtz framed the reductions as necessary for efficiency and to reallocate investment toward long-term cybersecurity leadership.
Enterprise Software and Services: Salesforce and Workday
Salesforce: 1,000+ Positions Axed Despite Strong Revenues
Salesforce cut more than 1,000 jobs, even while reporting solid earnings. The removals coincide with a strategic push into AI-driven products, offering affected employees priority for open roles focused on next-generation technologies.
Workday: 8.5% Workforce Cut in AI-Focused Restructuring
Workday trimmed about 1,750 jobs (8.5% of its global headcount) to double down on AI development and global expansion. CEO Carl Eschenbach pledged robust severance packages and emphasized adapting to changing enterprise software landscapes.
Automotive and Legacy Hardware: Nissan, HP, Porsche
Nissan: 20,000 Job Cuts to Reboot Auto Operations
Japanese automaker Nissan plans to shed 20,000 roles by 2027, shrinking factory count from 17 to 10. Tariffs and slumping sales in China have driven the automaker to cut about 9,000 jobs already, seeking cost relief amid a reported net loss of ¥671 billion in FY2024.
HP: 2,000 Jobs Cut Under “Future Now” Initiative
HP will eliminate up to 2,000 positions to realize $300 million in cost savings. The cuts target legacy PC and printing divisions, as the company reorients toward services, software, and high-growth technology segments.
Porsche: Nearly 4,000 Jobs to Streamline Luxury Auto
Porsche announced plans to reduce its workforce by 3,900 roles over several years through contract expirations, natural attrition, and limited new hiring. The goal is to optimize organizational efficiency while maintaining premium brand performance.
Emerging Sector Fallout: Autonomous Vehicles and Social Apps
Cruise: 50% Workforce Reduction, Shutting Down Independent Ops
GM’s self-driving arm Cruise cut half its staff as it ceased independent operations. Hundreds of employees, including CEO Marc Whitten, were laid off as GM integrates autonomous vehicle efforts under its corporate umbrella.
Match Group and Automattic: 13–16% Cuts in Digital Services
Match Group eliminated 13% of its workforce—around 325 roles—to address shifts in the dating app market, while Automattic trimmed 16% of its staff (Tumblr, WordPress parent) to boost productivity amid intense technological competition.
The Human Cost and Future Outlook
These widespread layoffs underscore the human impact of digital transformation and economic volatility. While companies claim the cuts are strategic—realigning talent toward AI, cloud, and high-growth sectors—the speed and scale of reductions have left thousands of skilled workers seeking new roles in an increasingly challenging job market.
As 2025 progresses, the sector faces a delicate balance: investing billions in next-generation technologies while managing cost structures. The coming quarters will test whether these workforce reductions enable sustainable growth or whether the abrupt shifts erode morale and innovation capacity.
Source:https://trak.in/stories/100000-techies-non-techies-fired-in-2025-check-layoff-list-by-companies/