Global Layoffs 2026 Stats & Job Cuts Forecast for 2027

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Reviewed by: Vanya Goel, HR Leader and Consultant

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Since January 1st, 2026, 1,621+ companies have announced mass layoffs. 

• In 2026 so far, 227 layoff events at tech companies have impacted 91,679 workers, averaging 926 job losses per day. 

• 58% of companies plan even more layoffs before the year is out. 

Biggest Tech Layoffs by Company

• Amazon — Largest single layoff of 2026, with 16,000 employees impacted. 

• Oracle — Slashed 30,000 jobs globally to fund AI infrastructure.

• Meta — Kicked off 2026 by cutting ~1,500 employees from its Reality Labs division. 

• Chevron — Cutting 8,000 employees (15–20% of global workforce) by end of 2026.

• T-Mobile — Laid off 363 workers in Washington state alone, with sweeping cuts across departments.

• Telefónica — Targeting up to 5,000 layoffs, mostly from its Spain operations.

• Takeda (Pharma) — Planning 634 U.S. job cuts as part of a restructuring to save over $1.26 billion annually. 

• GoPro — Cutting as part of restructuring (April 2026).

Consumer Layoffs by Company

• Macy’s – 150 stores closing

• Pizza Hut – 250 stores

• Wendy’s – 300 locations

• Eddie Bauer – full shutdown

• Carter’s – 150 stores planned 

Retail Sector

Layoffs driven by low consumer demand + shift to e-commerce + store closures

Major companies:

• Walmart – restructuring & automation roles impacted

• Nike – cost-cutting, global restructuring

• Adidas – sales slowdown in key markets

Trend: Offline retail shrinking, logistics & automation replacing roles

Healthcare Sector

Layoffs mainly due to cost pressure, mergers, and declining funding

Major organizations:

• CVS Health – thousands cut (insurance + admin roles)

• Kaiser Permanente – restructuring workforce

• Philips – ongoing layoffs post device recalls

• Byju's – healthcare-adjacent (edtech/learning) cost cuts

Trend: Admin & support roles hit more than core medical staff

Finance & Banking

Layoffs driven by high interest rates, reduced deal activity, fintech pressure

Major companies:

• Goldman Sachs – repeated workforce cuts

• Morgan Stanley – layoffs in wealth management

• PayPal – restructuring + AI shift

• Citigroup – global restructuring

Trend: Investment banking & back-office roles most affected

Manufacturing & Industrial

Layoffs due to automation, supply chain shifts, and declining exports

Major companies:

• General Motors – EV transition restructuring

• Ford – cost-cutting + EV shift

• Siemens – global restructuring

• 3M – declining demand + legal costs

Trend: Manual jobs declining, automation + robotics increasing

AI-driven layoffs vs. Cyclical/Economic layoffs

Here’s a summary of our research:

• There were a total of 1.2M layoffs in the US in 2025

• Only 55,000 of them (4.5%) were attributed to AI

• 92% of the companies that conducted these layoffs still grew their headcount

AI vs Reality: What’s Really Driving Layoffs?

• In 2025, around 1.2 million employees lost their jobs in the US.

• Out of these, only ~55,000 layoffs were linked to AI, which is just 4.5% of the total.

 Is AI Really Replacing Jobs?

• There is a growing fear that AI will replace human workers.

• However, current data suggests that this concern may be overestimated in the short term.

What J.P. Morgan Asset Management Found

• Their research challenges the popular media narrative around AI-driven layoffs.

• The study highlights that most layoffs are not caused by AI.

Actual Reasons Behind Layoffs

According to their findings, layoffs are mainly driven by:

• Cost-cutting measures

• Slower market demand

• Corporate restructuring

• Post-pandemic workforce normalization

AI augmentation success stories — companies that didn't lay off due to AI

 1. Infosys — “AI = Skill Upgrade, Not Job Cuts”

• Publicly stated no layoffs due to GenAI

• Focus: reskilling + productivity boost

• AI used for:

• Code generation

• Client delivery optimization

• Talent matching

Strategy:
Instead of reducing headcount, they upgrade employees to higher-value roles

Insight:
They align with the idea that AI will create more jobs than it destroys long-term

Resource: Talent Augmentation instead of replacement

2. Wipro — “Augmentation-first approach”

• Explicitly said: AI is for augmentation, not replacement

• Use cases:

• HR automation

• Predictive analytics

• Client operations

Impact:

• Employees shift from repetitive work → decision-making roles

• AI improves employee experience + efficiency

 3. HCLTech — “Human + AI collaboration model”

• Focus on:

• Internal AI tools

• Workforce transformation

• Goal:
  Turn employees into “AI-enabled professionals”

 Instead of layoffs:

• Roles are redesigned, not removed

• AI handles grunt work → humans handle strategy

 4. IBM — Replace some roles, but overall hiring grows

• Replaced ~200 HR roles with AI

• BUT:

• Overall headcount increased in other areas

 Key takeaway:

• AI didn’t shrink the company

• It shifted hiring toward high-skill roles

5. Cognizant — AI + Hiring, not firing

• Leadership states:

• AI will increase hiring demand

• Focus on upskilling workforce

Industry insight:

• Experts say AI-driven companies still need:

• Entry-level hiring

• Human oversight

6. Accenture — Massive AI investment + reskilling

• Invested billions in AI

• Strategy:

• Train employees in AI tools

• Build AI-powered services

 Even when restructuring happens:

• Core model = “reskill at scale”, not pure layoffs

7. European & enterprise trend (macro success story)

• Many EU companies:

• Investing in AI

• Still increasing hiring

Why?

• AI needs:

• Implementation teams

• Oversight

• Integration specialists

Specific Sectors may face more layoffs in 2027

1. Tech (Still #1 risk sector)

Why layoffs will continue:

• AI replacing:

• Testing

• Basic coding

• Support engineering

• Overhiring correction from 2020–2023

 Data:

• ~78,000 tech layoffs already in early 2026

• Many companies restructuring around AI

 2027 prediction:

• Mid-level & low-skill dev roles at highest risk

• Fewer managers, more “AI-augmented engineers”

2. Customer Support / BPO / Call Centers

High-risk sector (short-term layoffs, then partial rehiring)

 Key insight:

• Up to 80% of customer service tasks can be automated

• BUT:

• 50% of companies will rehire by 2027

 2027 reality:

• Initial layoffs → followed by re-hiring in hybrid roles

• Jobs won’t disappear, but:

• Lower pay

• Different titles (AI supervisor, escalation specialist)

3. Banking, Finance & Back-Office Ops

Quiet layoffs sector (already happening)

At risk roles:

• Data entry

• Compliance processing

• Junior analysts

 Why:

• AI handles:

• Risk analysis

• Document processing

• Fraud detection

 2027 prediction:

• Fewer entry-level jobs

• More demand for:

• AI + finance hybrid roles

4. Retail & E-commerce

Automation + economic pressure combo

At risk:

• Cashiers

• Inventory staff

• Warehouse roles (partially)

 Trend:

• AI + robotics replacing repetitive retail work

 2027:

• Offline retail jobs decline

• Growth only in:

• logistics tech

• last-mile delivery

5. Manufacturing (but not fully)

Slow but steady layoffs

At risk:

• Assembly line roles

• Quality inspection

 Why:

• Robotics + AI vision systems improving

 2027:

• Not mass layoffs, but:

• gradual workforce shrinkage

• fewer new hires

6.  Admin, HR & Data Entry Jobs (VERY HIGH RISK)

This is actually the MOST vulnerable category

 Example:

• AI already replacing HR/admin tasks in companies like IBM

• Entry-level roles heavily impacted

 Roles at risk:

• Data entry operators

• Scheduling/admin assistants

• Basic HR operations

 2027:

• These roles may reduce drastically (not just shrink)

Read about: Laid-off worker survival guide