Issue 02 / The AI Reallocation

123,763 people out.
Roughly $725 billion
spent on the machines that
replaced them.

The 2026 layoff cycle stopped pretending. Companies cutting workers this year are not rightsizing from a pandemic hangover, they are funding a buildout. Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta are projected to spend roughly three quarters of a trillion dollars on AI infrastructure in 2026, while collectively shedding more than 60,000 jobs across the same window. CFOs now say the quiet part on earnings calls. Layoffs are the financing.

What this issue tracks

50 layoff events at tech companies through May 8, 2026, cross-referenced with active job listings, BLS JOLTS macro data, and stated drivers from SEC filings and CEO communications. Companies are tagged by primary driver: AI restructuring, M&A integration, crypto downturn, or general macro pressure.

/ Is your role safe?
Search any role to see verdict, hiring demand, and layoff exposure
Try
Safe HarborML / AI Engineer
192
Open roles
17
Companies hiring
0
Layoff mentions

High hiring activity, near-zero appearance in layoff coverage. Position is strong. Leverage it for compensation, equity, or a more senior role.

Sample employers hiring
AirbnbAnthropicBlockCursorDatabricksDecagon+11
Where it sits
BLOODBATHHOTSLEEPYSAFEHIRING DEMAND →Other / UncategorizedSoftware Engineer (general)Product ManagerSolutions / Sales EngineerAccount Executive / SalesTechnical Program ManagerData Scientist / AnalystCustomer SuccessLegal / ComplianceUX / Product DesignerData EngineerSecurity EngineerRecruiting / TalentBackend EngineerSDR / BDRMarketingOperations / Supply ChainMobile EngineerDevOps / SRE / PlatformQA / Test EngineerFinance / AccountingCustomer SupportFrontend EngineerHR / People OpsHardware / ManufacturingYOU
01

The role scorecard

26role families · scroll to zoom · drag to pan
Layoff pressure vs hiring demand
Each role plotted by z-scored layoff pressure (Y) vs hiring demand (X). Bubble size reflects combined signal magnitude. Mouse wheel zooms, drag pans, double-click resets.
HMFEQAMOBSDRBERTSECDEUPDLCDEVHRCSDSACSMTPMOPSPMMLFINMKTSSEAESWEOTHBLOODBATHlow hiring · high cutsHOT & BRUTALhiring AND firingSLEEPYlow bothSAFE HARBORhigh hiring · low cutsHIRING DEMAND →LAYOFF PRESSURE →lowavghigh
100%
At-riskHot but high-churnSafe / in-demandLow signalBubble size = total signal
Key
OTHOther / Uncategorized1,271 · 0
SWESoftware Engineer (general)900 · 0
AEAccount Executive / Sales558 · 1
SSESolutions / Sales Engineer374 · 1
MKTMarketing195 · 6
FINFinance / Accounting114 · 8
MLML / AI Engineer192 · 0
PMProduct Manager153 · 0
OPSOperations / Supply Chain92 · 1
TPMTechnical Program Manager117 · 0
DSAData Scientist / Analyst95 · 0
CSMCustomer Success95 · 0
CSCustomer Support56 · 1
HRHR / People Ops23 · 2
LCLegal / Compliance82 · 0
DEVDevOps / SRE / Platform52 · 1
UPDUX / Product Designer75 · 0
DEData Engineer69 · 0
SECSecurity Engineer61 · 0
RTRecruiting / Talent52 · 0
BEBackend Engineer44 · 0
SDRSDR / BDR36 · 0
MOBMobile Engineer24 · 0
QAQA / Test Engineer19 · 0
FEFrontend Engineer9 · 0
HMHardware / Manufacturing1 · 0
Stats: open roles · layoff mentions
At Risk9 roles
Marketing, Operations / Supply Chain, DevOps / SRE / Platform, QA / Test Engineer, Finance / Accounting
High mention rate in layoff coverage, weak open-roles signal across the same dataset. The door is closing.
Hot but Brutal5 roles
Solutions / Sales Engineer, Account Executive / Sales, Backend Engineer, SDR / BDR
High open roles but the same titles appear in cuts. Read: high churn, not safety.
Safe Harbor12 roles
Other / Uncategorized, Software Engineer (general), ML / AI Engineer, Product Manager
High hiring, zero or near-zero layoff mentions. Cleanest signal in the dataset is ML/AI engineering.
02

The long list

50layoff events · sortable · click company for source
All / 50AI capex / 0Restructure / 0M&A / 0Crypto / 0Macro / 0
123,763 people · 50 events
#Company IndustryDate Layoffs ↓% co. Driver
01Oracle OtherOther03.31.202630,000--
02Amazon RetailRetail01.28.202616,000--
03Amazon RetailRetail10.27.202514,0001%-
04Dell HardwareHardware03.16.202611,00010%-
05Meta ConsumerConsumer04.17.20268,00010%-
06PayPal FinanceFinance05.05.20264,76020%-
07Block FinanceFinance02.26.20264,00040%-
08HP HardwareHardware11.25.20254,000--
09WiseTech LogisticsLogistics02.24.20262,00030%-
10Synopsys OtherOther11.12.20252,00010%-
11ASML HardwareHardware01.28.20261,700--
12Atlassian OtherOther03.11.20261,60010%-
13Ericsson OtherOther01.15.20261,600--
14Meta ConsumerConsumer01.13.20261,5002%-
15Applied Material ManufacturingManufacturing10.23.20251,4004%-
16Cloudflare SecuritySecurity05.07.20261,10020%-
17Snap ConsumerConsumer04.15.20261,00016%-
18Epic Games ConsumerConsumer03.24.20261,000--
19Ocado FoodFood02.26.20261,0005%-
20Livspace ConsumerConsumer02.20.20261,00012%-
21Autodesk OtherOther01.22.20261,0007%-
22UKG HRHR04.15.2026950--
23eBay RetailRetail02.26.20268006%-
24Bill.com FinanceFinance05.07.202670930%-
25Coinbase CryptoCrypto05.05.202670014%-
26Pinterest ConsumerConsumer01.27.202670015%-
27Sapiens FinanceFinance12.28.202570015%-
28Playtika ConsumerConsumer11.17.202570020%-
29Rivian TransportationTransportation10.23.20256004%-
30Meta ConsumerConsumer10.22.2025600--
31Freshworks SupportSupport05.05.202650011%-
32Flipkart RetailRetail03.06.2026500--
33Cyberark SecuritySecurity02.17.202650012%-
34Playtika ConsumerConsumer01.14.202650015%-
35Paycom HRHR10.01.2025500--
36xAI AIAI09.12.2025500--
37Just Eat FoodFood09.25.20254505%-
38Stone FinanceFinance03.13.20264003%-
39Workday HRHR02.04.20264002%-
40Chegg EducationEducation10.27.202538845%-
Showing 40 of 50 events. Load more →
03

The real story

From CFO commentary · Q1 2026 earnings calls
“

Tech is shedding workers at 2.0xthe rate of the broader economy. The cuts aren't austerity. Meta's projected 2026 AI capex is five timesits entire human payroll. Layoffs aren't cost-cutting anymore. Layoffs are the financing.

BLS JOLTS · Meta Q1 2026 earnings · SEC filings
04

Macro context

BLS JOLTS · latest release
IndustryHiresQuitsLayoffsOpenings12mo trend
Informationtech / software / telecom
3.4
vs 2.7 yr-ago
1.1
vs 1.4 yr-ago
2.4
vs 1.3 yr-ago
2.8
vs 3.9 yr-ago
Total nonfarmwhole economy baseline
3.5
vs 3.4 yr-ago
2.0
vs 2.2 yr-ago
1.2
vs 1.0 yr-ago
4.1
vs 4.2 yr-ago
Financial activitiesbanking / insurance
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Manufacturingdurable + nondurable
2.5
vs 2.4 yr-ago
1.4
vs 1.5 yr-ago
0.7
vs 0.8 yr-ago
3.5
vs 3.0 yr-ago