Big quote: As Frank Herbert writes in Dune, "Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them."
We've now entered the second half of the year, and tech-related layoffs have already skyrocketed past the 100,000 mark. The Bridge Chronicle has compiled a list of the most outstanding mass layoffs announcements from tech companies so far, with the downsizing expected to hit rock bottom by the end of 2025.
So far, Intel appears to have the most aggressive job-cutting plan of the year. The US chipmaker recently announced 24,000 job cuts, with even more layoffs expected in the near future. By the end of 2025, "Chipzilla" is projected to have let go of 75,000 core employees worldwide. The company is in a precarious position, facing a continuing decline in PC CPU sales and a strategic pivot toward an AI-focused business model.
AI technology is also one of the main drivers behind Microsoft's decision to significantly reduce its workforce. The Redmond-based corporation has so far laid off 15,000 employees, affecting several divisions including cloud, gaming, and hardware.
In a recently disclosed company memo, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella attempted to address the "painful" job reductions using convoluted corporate lingo that sounded like it came straight from a heartless (and brainless) chatbot.
Rumors suggest Nadella is deeply obsessed with GenAI, reportedly using Copilot for both personal and professional purposes. Microsoft's attempt to justify its latest layoffs is particularly hard to defend, given the company's strong financial performance and lack of any money-related issues.
Other major tech companies – including Meta, Google, Amazon, and Cisco – have also fired or are in the process of firing thousands of employees, reallocating funds to build newer, more powerful AI models and capitalize on the agentic AI hype before it potentially collapses under its own weight.
Massive funding efforts to commercialize AI aren't the only factors behind the ongoing layoffs. Big Tech went on a hiring spree during the pandemic a few years ago, betting on a remote work boom and surging demand for tech products – trends that never fully materialized.
Much of that bloated workforce is now being trimmed. Additionally, a surge in geopolitical tensions and the persisting uncertainty around Trump-era tariffs are threatening future revenue prospects and prompting further cost-cutting measures.
In Japanese corporate culture, CEOs are expected to take significant pay cuts to avoid layoffs. Former Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata famously stated that firing employees sacrifices long-term morale for short-term gains. I'm willing to bet my bank's account that no single CEO in the Western tech business would even consider doing something like that.