US layoffs in October reportedly hit 20-year high, with major tech firms leading 2025 cuts

The layoff tide continues to rise as U.S. companies cut jobs in pursuit of cost savings and AI-driven efficiency. According to The Times of India, American companies announced 153,074 job cuts in October 2025—the highest for the month in more than two decades.

As noted by the report, Challenger, Gray & Christmas data reveals that October’s 153,074 job cuts represented a 183% spike from the previous month and a 175% increase over a year earlier. The report notes that the steepest declines came from the technology and warehousing sectors, with several major companies announcing large-scale job reductions. The following highlights some notable layoff cases across 2025.

Amazon
Amazon said in late October that it will trim roughly 14,000 positions from its global corporate workforce, with further cuts anticipated in 2026. Reuters reports that the shake-up is part of a broader reorganization fueled by AI integration and cost pressures.

Intel
As noted by Tom’s Hardware, Intel cut up to 20,500 jobs in the three months after Lip-Bu Tan took over as CEO, reflecting the scale of restructuring under the new leadership. Tan said he sought to streamline the company by cutting middle management, but the report indicates that thousands of engineers and technicians at its Oregon facilities were among those let go.

Microsoft
Microsoft announced in May that it would cut about 6,000 jobs, or 3% of its staff, affecting employees across all levels of the company—including some at LinkedIn’s overseas offices. As The Times of India highlights, even AI director Gabriela de Queiroz was among those let go.

Meta
Meta eliminated roughly 600 jobs from its Meta Superintelligence Labs division in October, which comprises around 3,000 employees focused on the company’s AI efforts, as The Times of India states. Additionally, Meta laid off more than 100 employees in its risk review team.

Google
Google is cutting dozens of jobs across its Silicon Valley offices, as noted by The San Francisco Chronicle. State filings show at least 50 permanent layoffs taking effect on November 9, following earlier cuts of more than 100 design roles in the company’s cloud division.

Applied Materials
Chip equipment maker Applied Materials said in late October it would cut about 4% of its global workforce, or roughly 1,400 of its 36,100 employees, according to a filing cited by CNBC.

IBM
IBM said on November 4 that it will cut thousands of jobs during the fourth quarter, with a spokesperson telling CNBC the layoffs would impact a low single-digit share of its global staff. The outlet adds that IBM had 270,000 employees as of the end of 2024, so a 1% reduction would translate to about 2,700 positions.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
As indicated by San Francisco Chronicle, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is cutting 52 jobs at its San Jose campus, per a filing with California’s Employment Development Department. The move follows a broader plan announced earlier this year to eliminate 2,500 positions globally amid weaker sales and tariff uncertainty.

Source: TrendForce, Taiwan.