United States: 94,046 Tech Layoffs from January to August 2026

From January to August, at least 94,046 jobs were cut in the American tech sector, representing a 16.8% increase compared to the previous year. The layoffs have occurred in waves, with a decline since May. AI is increasingly cited in layoff plans, while large companies account for the majority of reductions. However, the totals remain partial estimates.

Incomplete totals and contradictory signals in hiring

The figures published on layoffs in the American tech sector are estimates, as many companies do not disclose the exact number of positions eliminated during announcements. Crunchbase's tracking, updated at least every two weeks, lists reported job cuts among American tech employers, whether they are based in the U.S. or have a significant presence there, and whether they are private or public. Additionally, some signals are ambiguous: Amazon has reached out to former employees eligible for open positions, particularly in cloud computing and AI. At Oracle, the workforce decreased by about 21,000 people for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2026, but the exact number and timing of the layoffs are unknown, and this total is not included in Crunchbase's tracking. In early September, Uber reportedly cut 3,300 jobs, or 10% of its workforce.

A peak in May followed by a monthly decline until August

Between January and August 2026, at least 94,046 layoffs were recorded in the American tech sector, a rise of 16.8% compared to the 80,486 during the same period in 2025. After a low point of 5,151 job cuts in December 2025, January 2026 surpassed 20,000 layoffs. May marked a peak with 31,513 cuts, including 8,000 at Meta, the highest monthly level since March 2023, when 36,602 layoffs were recorded. Since this peak, volumes have decreased each month, reaching 2,347 in August. From June to August, 19,331 jobs were cut, down 16.2% compared to the previous year. This recent decline suggests a softening, but it is too early to conclude a lasting turnaround.

AI cited much more frequently than in 2024

Roger Lee, founder of Layoffs.fyi, notes that artificial intelligence is increasingly mentioned to explain layoffs in tech. According to his tracking, AI was cited in 33% of layoff events this year, compared to just 1% in 2024. In total, 92,913 job cuts, or 72% of the global total for the year, are attributed to AI by Layoffs.fyi. However, Roger Lee believes there is little evidence that the tasks of laid-off employees have actually been replaced by AI systems. He considers that large tech companies are heavily investing in AI while cutting costs elsewhere, betting on productivity gains with smaller workforces.

Large companies account for 87% of cuts

In 2026, publicly traded tech companies dominate layoff announcements, with Amazon and Meta leading the way. Large companies represent about 87% of job cuts, a level close to 2025 (85%). Amazon has a total of 17,388 layoffs, including a reduction of 16,000 positions announced in January, followed by smaller waves. Meta has 10,400 cuts, including 8,000 in May, or 10% of its workforce. Microsoft laid off 4,800 people, PayPal 4,760, Block, Cisco, and Cognizant 4,000 each, Intuit 3,000, Amdocs 2,900, and Visa 2,600. This ranking covers various sectors, from cloud computing to social media, payments, and enterprise technology. Among the private companies tracked, Epic Games disclosed 1,000 cuts, UKG 950, and MyHeritage 500. These volumes, lower than those of public companies, are difficult to compare due to unpublished figures from some firms.

What employment market specialists say

Andrew Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas explains that AI affects jobs in two ways: some tasks, like coding, now require fewer people, and certain positions are indeed being replaced by AI. At the same time, companies are shifting their priorities, investing more in AI and reducing teams in other areas. As a result, some companies are laying off in one area while hiring for AI-related positions. According to him, tech has announced more layoffs than any other sector this year. Across the American economy, layoffs are slightly down compared to last year, a comparison skewed by the large number of cuts in the public sector in 2025, and they remain high compared to the period just after the pandemic. So far, few companies outside the tech sector mention AI to justify their layoffs. Andrew Challenger believes that while AI can reduce software development costs, it could enable other sectors to initiate projects that were previously out of reach, paving the way for new jobs. However, he considers it too early to say whether these new positions will offset existing losses.