From Microsoft to The Washington Post: How AI Is Reshaping the Global Workforce

Tehran - BORNA - The unprecedented growth of emerging technologies especially artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven models has played a crucial role in redefining the nature of jobs. This report takes a closer look at the key players in this global layoff wave, the underlying causes, and the potential consequences for the future of the global job market.

Intel

In July 2025, Intel announced plans to lay off over 5,000 employees across California, Oregon, Texas, and Arizona. The cuts are part of a 15–20% reduction in staff within its Foundry chip manufacturing division. The company stated that the primary goals are to reduce organizational complexity and increase engineering efficiency.

Meta

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced earlier this year that 5% of the company's workforce would be cut to enhance performance and productivity. The layoffs affected teams working on Facebook, the Horizon virtual reality platform, and logistics units. Since 2022, Meta has laid off over 21,000 employees.

Microsoft

Throughout 2025, Microsoft implemented several rounds of layoffs, impacting approximately 9,000 employees. The reductions were concentrated in sales, gaming, and AI development teams. The company noted that the decisions were based on job performance evaluations.

Scale AI

This data-focused startup laid off 200 full-time employees and 500 contractors in July 2025 about 14% of its workforce. The layoffs came as part of a restructuring of its generative AI division, just weeks after Meta invested $14 billion in the company.

Workday

In February 2025, HR software firm Workday announced the layoff of approximately 1,750 employees (8.5% of its workforce). The company cited a renewed focus on AI-driven projects and a strategic global restructuring as the primary reasons.

Salesforce

Despite strong financial performance in the previous year, Salesforce laid off over 1,000 employees in February. The company said the move was aimed at prioritizing the development of AI-powered products, with laid-off employees encouraged to apply for other internal roles.

Several other companies including Dropbox, Block, Automattic, CrowdStrike, Sonos, Stripe, Wayfair, Grubhub, and HPE each laid off between 300 and 1,000 employees. The reasons varied from cost-cutting and organizational restructuring to shifting focus toward more profitable or AI-centered projects. Notably, Automattic (owner of WordPress) cut about 16% of its workforce, and CrowdStrike eliminated around 500 positions as part of a strategic overhaul.

UPS

In April 2025, logistics giant UPS announced plans to eliminate 20,000 jobs (about 4% of its global workforce). The move was driven by efforts to reduce dependency on human labor, scale back cooperation with Amazon, and expand automation across 400 distribution centers.

Boeing

Boeing revealed plans to eliminate around 400 jobs in its space rocket division, in alignment with a revised strategy for NASA’s Artemis missions. The company also noted it would try to reassign affected employees internally.

CNN  

In January, CNN announced it would cut around 200 TV-related positions. CEO Mark Thompson stated that the move was part of the company’s pivot toward digital platforms and newsroom restructuring.

Bloomberg

In 2025, Bloomberg reorganized its newsroom, merging smaller teams into larger departments. While exact figures were not disclosed, the aim was to increase efficiency and improve coverage of financial and tech news.

The Washington Post

At the beginning of the year, The Washington Post laid off fewer than 100 employees, mainly from non-editorial departments. The company described the decision as part of a broader "digital transformation" and a step toward long-term sustainability.

The 2025 layoff wave is not merely a sign of economic downturn or crisis it reflects a deeper transformation in business structures, technology, and the global economy. In many cases, these layoffs are not due to financial losses but are aimed at becoming more agile, AI-ready, and structurally optimized.

However, this shift also poses significant challenges: rising job insecurity, pressure on labor markets, and a growing skill gap between traditional and future-oriented careers. The companies leading this wave are setting a new standard for tech-driven productivity yet at the same time, they are sparking critical questions about social equity, reskilling, and support systems for displaced workers.

About the author: Fateme Moradkhani covers technology, surveillance, and AI ethics for Borna News Agency, with a focus on global cyber power and digital militarization.

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