Layoffs in tech companies in 2026 are moving faster than last year – over 39,000 workers let go in just the first two months, across 107+ companies. It’s not just startups. Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and ASML are all on the list. And it doesn’t look like it’s stopping soon.
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Didn’t We Already Deal With Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026?
So I was talking to this guy I know – he’s been in software engineering for close to eight years. Started feeling like maybe the worst was over.
In January 2026, his company sent out the email.
What do you even say? The market will bounce back? That feels hollow when someone’s got a mortgage and a kid starting school in the fall.
What I kept thinking though – this isn’t really a tech story. It’s a people story. The numbers are just how we measure the damage.
But yeah, we do need to look at the numbers. Because they tell you something the headlines don’t.
Which Companies Are Actually Cutting Jobs Due to Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026?
Here’s the thing people don’t expect – it’s not just the scrappy startups burning through runway.
ASML, the Dutch company that makes the machines used to build computer chips – yeah even they cut 1,700 positions across the Netherlands and the US. A lot of people thought chipmakers were immune to this stuff.
There’s Oracle – which I keep hearing about and honestly it makes me nervous. Analysts at TD Cowen have said Oracle might cut anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 people. If that happens, it’ll be one of the biggest single-company layoff events in tech history. We’ll see.
Why Are Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026 Really Happening?
Okay this is the part I feel like most articles get lazy on. They say AI is taking jobs and move on. But it’s messier than that.
AI Is Changing Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026 – Faster Than Anyone Expected
It clearly is. In 2025 alone, something like 55,000 US layoffs were directly tied to AI adoption and a survey done earlier this year found 44% of hiring managers expect AI to be a leading cause of cuts in 2026.
Salesforce is probably the clearest example. They cut around 4,000 customer service roles after deploying AI agents they said could handle half their support volume. That’s not some distant future scenario – that happened. Those were real jobs, gone.
The shift is real. I just think it’s more targeted than people realize. Not every job is at the same risk. But specific roles – repetitive ones, high-volume ones – are getting replaced faster than most people expected.
The Pandemic Hiring Boom Behind Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026 Still Isn’t Cleaned Up
Amazon literally added hundreds of thousands of employees during that period and now, years later, they’re still working through the correction. It’s not shocking – it’s math – but it’s taking way longer to unwind than most people predicted back in 2022.
Why Tight Money Is Driving Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026
Interest rates have stayed higher than a lot of companies planned for. Add Trump’s tariff policies from 2025, which squeezed margins on companies with global operations, and suddenly the CFO is having a very different conversation with the CEO than they were two years ago.
How Return-to-Office Policies Are Quietly Adding to Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026
Is that a layoff? Not technically. But it reduces headcount, and some companies seem to know that. It’s a quiet strategy. I’m not saying every RTO policy is cynical, but some of them definitely have a secondary purpose.
Who’s Taking the Worst Hit From Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026?
Entry-level people. That’s the honest answer and I think it matters to say it plainly.
The job market for people trying to break into tech right now is genuinely rough. Companies aren’t hiring general software engineers the way they were five years ago. They want specialists. People with AI experience, cloud infrastructure background, and security expertise. If you’re fresh out of school with a comp sci degree and not much else, you’re competing for way fewer seats than the class of 2021 did.
Middle management is getting hammered too. A lot of the corporate language around flattening structures and cutting bureaucracy is just a nicer way of saying we have too many people in the middle. Layer cuts are real and they’re happening fast.
Is Anybody Still Hiring Despite Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026?
Yes – and this genuinely matters because the picture isn’t all doom.
The weird thing about the current job market is how split it is. The same companies cutting thousands of people in one area are actively posting jobs in another. Amazon slashed corporate roles while still expanding AWS and AI teams. Meta cut Reality Labs but is hiring hard in AI research. Microsoft trimmed gaming and other divisions while building out Copilot and Azure AI.
So layoffs in tech companies in 2026 are targeted, not total. It’s a reshuffle. A painful one if you’re in the roles getting cut. But not the full freeze we saw in 2008.
If your skills land in the AI, security, or cloud infrastructure world right now, you’re actually in decent shape. The market still wants you.
What You Should Actually Do Right Now After Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026
If you’re worried about your job – or you just lost it – here’s what I’d genuinely say to a friend sitting across from me.
First, update your resume now. Not when you get the email. Now. Treat it like basic maintenance. Same with LinkedIn. A stale profile when you’re suddenly job hunting is a problem you don’t need.
Second, figure out where your skills sit in the market. If you have no AI exposure at all, that’s worth fixing – not by becoming a machine learning engineer overnight, but by getting familiar with the tools.
Third, if you do get laid off, file for unemployment right away. I know it feels awkward or like you’ll find something fast. But file anyway. A lot of people wait and end up leaving money on the table.
Fourth, read your severance offer before you sign it. Health insurance cutoff dates, stock vesting schedules, and on-compete terms – these matter more than the lump sum number at the top. Don’t skim it.
Fifth – don’t cross a company off just because they did layoffs. Check their job boards.
The Thing Nobody’s Really Saying Out Loud About Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026
Companies are cutting people and pointing at AI. We’ll do more with less. Automation covers the gap. But only about 14% of organizations actually have AI deployed at real scale right now. The rest are still in pilot mode, still figuring it out.
So we’re in this strange middle place – the humans are being let go before the machines are fully ready.
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FAQ – Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026
What Tech Jobs Are Still Available Despite Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026?
The experts of AI engineering, machine learning, cloud and AWS infrastructure, cybersecurity professionals and people with practical experience with AI tools. These are the areas that continue to recruit as other positions are being eliminated.
What Can I Do If I Just Lost My Job Due to Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026?
Immediately file for unemployment benefits, understand your severance agreement particularly the date of health insurance and date of stock vesting, revise your resume, and concentrate on jobs that match your skills and match the demand.
What Is the Average Job Search Duration After Layoffs in Tech Companies in 2026?
It is taking 2 to 4 months for most people, but again depends on your level of experience, location and the level of demand for your particular skills. Experts are more likely to descend at a greater speed. The candidates at the entry levels are experiencing prolonged searches at the moment.
