Oracle and others, including Uber, Apple, Microsoft, cut thousands of jobs amid AI shift, rising costs

More than 6,000 technology jobs were cut in the first 10 days of September as companies, including Oracle, Samsung, Uber, Apple, JLR, and Microsoft announced or were linked to workforce reductions, adding to a broader wave of layoffs across the technology sector this year. 

According to data from media reports, 128,536 technology employees across 299 companies had been laid off globally as of September 10. 

The latest cuts come as companies restructure operations, reduce costs, and redirect investments towards artificial intelligence (AI), even as some businesses face weaker demand and higher operating expenses. 

Oracle expands planned job cuts amid AI spending 

Oracle has increased the scale of its planned job cuts as the company grapples with mounting costs associated with developing large-scale data centres for AI workloads. The company has been ramping up spending on data-centre infrastructure as demand for AI computing capacity rises, putting pressure on its cash position. 

Oracle has also disclosed a new share trading programme for Chairman Larry Ellison, who owns about 40% of the company’s stock. The programme, adopted on June 22, permits Ellison to sell up to 50 million Oracle shares through October 24, according to a regulatory filing. 

The shares closed at $175.07 on June 22, valuing the 50 million shares at about $8.75 billion. Oracle’s stock has since declined 16% through Friday’s close. 

Samsung India cuts jobs amid margin pressure 

Samsung India has started cutting jobs in its television and home-appliance businesses as rising memory-chip prices, weaker consumer demand and higher operating costs weigh on margins, according to media reports. 

Around 80-100 executives have reportedly been asked to leave the company in batches. The affected employees include director-level officials, team leads, branch managers and area managers, according to industry executives cited in media reports. 

The latest round of layoffs may not be the final workforce reduction at Samsung India as the company continues to assess costs and business conditions. 

Uber plans 3,300 job cuts 

Uber Technologies is set to cut about 3,300 jobs, or roughly 10% of its workforce, in its largest round of layoffs since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The company is seeking to streamline its management structure and reduce organisational complexity as the rise of robotaxis poses a growing challenge to its traditional ride-hailing business. The cuts will flatten management layers and simplify decision-making, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a note to employees. 

Apple cuts roles in Vision, AI teams 

Apple has reportedly laid off at least 60 employees in its Vision Group, which works on products, including the Vision Pro virtual-reality headset. 

The company is also cutting roles in its Intelligent Systems Experience group, which is involved in some of Apple’s AI systems. Overall, the layoffs are estimated to affect more than 200 employees, according to reports. 

The cuts come as Apple continues to reassess its product and AI strategy while managing costs across different business units. 

Microsoft targets 4,800 jobs 

Microsoft has begun another round of layoffs affecting about 4,800 employees, or roughly 2.1% of its workforce. The Xbox division is among the hardest hit. Xbox chief Asha Sharma said in a post on X that 3,200 roles would be eliminated through fiscal year 2027, including 1,600 employees who were laid off on July 6. 

The restructuring comes as Microsoft continues to balance investments in cloud computing and AI with efforts to control costs across its businesses. 

JLR to slash 4,000 jobs 

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plans to reduce its global workforce by around 4,000 roles over the next two years as the British luxury carmaker targets £1.7 billion in savings. 

The planned reduction represents nearly 9% of JLR’s global workforce of about 43,000 employees. The company aims to lower its break-even point to around 300,000 vehicles. 

JLR is facing increasingly competitive markets, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid changes in the automotive industry. 

Cloudflare to cut 20% of workforce 

US-based internet infrastructure and cybersecurity company Cloudflare plans to cut about 20% of its workforce as it restructures operations around the growing use of AI. 

According to Reuters, the company plans to lay off more than 1,100 employees globally. Cloudflare had 5,156 full-time employees at the end of 2025. The company expects to incur charges of between $140 million and $150 million related to the job cuts in the second quarter. 

Meta announces major rejig 

Meta Platforms is also cutting nearly 8,000 jobs, or roughly 10% of its workforce, in one of its biggest restructuring exercises since 2022. 

The layoffs come despite the company remaining profitable, underscoring how large technology companies are continuing to restructure even when their financial performance remains strong.