Business Big Tech Layoffs Megathread - Techbros... we got too cocky...

Since my previous thread kinda-sorta turned into a soft megathread, and the tech layoffs will continue until morale improves, I think it's better to group them all together.

For those who want a QRD:

Just this week we've had these going on:

https://www.theverge.com/24048636/ebay-layoffs-1000-employees-january-2024

https://arstechnica.com/google/2024/01/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-promises-another-year-of-google-layoffs/

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/24/tech/sap-restructuring-ai-jobs-intl-hnk/index.html

But it's not just Big Tech, the vidya industry is also cleaning house bigly:

https://www.brokentoys.org/ludum-mortuus-est/

All in all, rough seas ahead for the techbros.

 

[Ahriman]

I agree. I’ve interviewed and filled dozens of positions in my time for technical roles up to the PhD level, from junior roles up to director roles, and have found the numerous and extended interviews bizarre. You generally know what is bullshit and what isn’t with a few questions. Fortunately I’ve only ever had to fire one of those employees. I just have not seen the value in putting these applicants through the wringer and I’m completely opposed to the idea of the pain being a part of the process. I do agree that it’s better to not hire than have a bad hire but I’m not sure you’re going to know more about that with a take home assignment or a bunch of extra interviews. Maybe I’ve just been lucky.

Not only that,



It was thought up by these fuckers. Again, we technical people can tell apart when someone is bullshitting you or not, in 10 minutes or less.

"Oh no but you know what you guys need? a multi-stage interview process!!"
"And take-home assignments!"

It's a waste of time for both the candidate and the team who REALLY needs a new resource, really fast. Something that can be taken care of in 1 week, drags on for a month or more.

 

[Kane Lives]

Not only that,

View attachment 9046408

It was thought up by these fuckers. Again, we technical people can tell apart when someone is bullshitting you or not, in 10 minutes or less.

"Oh no but you know what you guys need? a multi-stage interview process!!"
"And take-home assignments!"

It's a waste of time for both the candidate and the team who REALLY needs a new resource, really fast. Something that can be taken care of in 1 week, drags on for a month or more.

Isn't all these interviews originally done because companies were not allowed to discriminate by IQ or race, so they had to find some other way to filter out the undesirables? Of course, HR bureaucracy bloated the process even more and perverse DEI incentives distorted the hiring incentives completely.

I honestly just hate the perverse idea that it's somehow okay to waste a job seeker's time purely because it's le bad for the company to suffer even the slightest inconvenience.

 

[Ahriman]

Isn't all these interviews originally done because companies were not allowed to discriminate by IQ or race, so they had to find some other way to filter out the undesirables? Of course, HR bureaucracy bloated the process even more and perverse DEI incentives distorted the hiring incentives completely.

I honestly just hate the perverse idea that it's somehow okay to waste a job seeker's time purely because it's le bad for the company to suffer even the slightest inconvenience.

That probably has played a big part of it, yea. And again, even as a technical lead looking to find the right candidate, sifting through hundreds of applications and going through several rounds of interviews, extending the whole thing for months, when you need a resouce as soon as possible, is the complete opposite of said interview process being effective.

I agree, no one wants to hire a retard, but at the same time, this alternative makes it much worse.

The key part in all of this is that the HR guy has to have a technical background as well, that will very easily streamline the process.

I guess I wouldn't mind trying my hand at doing HR myself.

EDIT: also,

 

[Lucas Silva #4903141]

https://www.techspot.com/news/112493-tech-layoffs-pass-100000-2026-tracker-points-ai.html

https://megalodon.jp/2026-0524-0027-19/https://www.techspot.com:443/news/112493-tech-layoffs-pass-100000-2026-tracker-points-ai.html

Tech layoffs have already passed 100,000 in 2026 as the industry cuts jobs to fund AI​

A hot potato: Tech sector job losses in early 2026 have already surged past 100,000, and the past month suggests the trend is not subsiding. While AI automation is likely not the sole cause, aggregated reports suggest it is the leading factor, with Meta's transition into an "AI-first" company headlining May's damage to the job market.

Meta's decision to lay off 8,000 workers to offset AI investments while potentially redirecting another 7,000 toward AI-related roles is the largest in a brutal series of tech company layoffs over the past month. Layoffs have exceeded 20,000 in every month of 2026 so far except April.

The figures come from TrueUp, which aggregates layoff reports from tech companies and estimates totals for each month. May is shaping up to be one of the worst months of the past year, a high threshold.

Meta is attempting to reduce labor costs as it prepares to spend over $100 billion in 2026 on AI data centers and related hardware. At the same time, the company aims to train its AI systems by monitoring employees' workstation activity, which some of them have described as "incredibly demoralizing."

Although TrueUp's graph also shows a large block of layoffs from PayPal, it remains unclear how many, if any, will occur in May. Sources recently told the Wall Street Journal that, like Meta, PayPal aims to eliminate about 20% of its workforce over the next two to three years, which could amount to 4,760 workers.

Cisco also recently announced around 4,000 layoffs. CEO Chuck Robbins framed the number as optimistically low, stating that the company is investing in AI infrastructure to avoid being left behind in the rush to adopt the technology.

Meanwhile, Intuit cut 3,000 jobs – 17% of its global workforce – to streamline its operations as it adopts AI, though it claims the layoffs are "not about AI." Affected employees will receive 16-week severance packages and other benefits.

While AI appears to be behind most of the job losses, industry insiders suggest that overhiring and resizing are also significant factors. Some of the latest reports, which do not yet contain solid numbers, also indicate that difficulties in video game development are contributing to the current wave.

Quantic Dream recently announced around 95 layoffs following the cancellation of Spellcaster Chronicles, a failed MOBA whose servers will shut down on June 19. Bungie might also be planning significant layoffs after confirming that Destiny 2's June 9 update will be the game's last. Destiny 3 is not currently in development.

TrueUp projects that tech sector layoffs in 2026 could reach 370,000, significantly exceeding the previous two years. Layoffs reached 430,000 in 2023.