Tech sector layoffs reach 30,700 just 6 weeks into 2026, on track to surpass 2025

🎯 Impact Sentiment: Concerning

📋 Summary

• Over 30,700 tech jobs have been cut in just six weeks of 2026, with the majority (80%) coming from U.S. companies, and Amazon alone cutting 16,000 positions.
• Major European cuts come from Sweden's Ericsson (1,900 layoffs) and the Netherlands' ASML (1,700 layoffs), both citing cost-cutting and AI integration despite strong profits.
• Companies like Meta, Block Inc., Autodesk, and Salesforce are also reducing headcount, with many layoffs attributed to restructuring, operational efficiency, and pivoting toward AI.
• AI and automation are now reaching higher-level roles, with a growing number of layoffs directly tied to these shifts—employers increasingly demand AI expertise, making reskilling less of a safety net.

💡 JR Insights

• 💼 Implication: Tech jobs aren't just being trimmed at the edges—core roles, including senior positions, are now at risk if they don't align with new tech priorities like AI.
• 🚨 Risk: The idea that safe, high-skill roles can always be reskilled or redeployed is increasingly outdated; even veterans may be displaced unless they keep their skills current.
• ✨ Takeaway: Don't assume job security, even with big names or strong profits; prioritize upskilling in AI and automation, or risk getting caught by the next round of cuts.