BT has announced plans to reduce its workforce by up to 55,000 by 2030, representing more than 40% of its global employee base, including about 10,000 roles replaced by artificial intelligence. The telecoms group aims to become a “leaner business” as it pushes into AI and completes major infrastructure projects.
The company employs approximately 130,000 staff globally, with 30,000 contractors and 80,000 in the UK. It intends to lower its total workforce to between 75,000 and 90,000 by 2028–2030. Chief executive Philip Jansen said the introduction of AI could eliminate the equivalent of 10,000 roles. “There is a huge opportunity to use AI to be more efficient,” he said.
The job cuts are driven by the completion of the labour-intensive rollout of full-fibre broadband and 5G networks, as well as the phasing out of old 3G and copper technology. BT also aims to benefit from digitisation and AI, making areas like call handling and network diagnostics less labour intensive.
Unions have reacted with concern. Prospect national secretary John Ferrett said the scale of cuts is “deeply concerning” and unsettling for workers. The Communications Workers Union said the plan was not unexpected, but stressed that reductions should come from subcontractors and natural attrition first.
BT reported a 12% drop in pre-tax profits to £1.7bn for the year to March and aims to make £3bn in annualised cost savings by 2025. The announcement follows Vodafone’s plans to cut 11,000 jobs over three years.
