LinkedIn is preparing to lay off approximately five percent of its global workforce, marking the latest in a series of job cuts sweeping the technology sector. The professional networking platform, which employs over 17,500 people worldwide, plans to notify affected employees on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the matter reported by Reuters.
Reorganization, Not AI Replacement
Sources indicate that the layoffs are intended to help the company reorganize its teams and focus on areas of business growth. Contrary to broader industry trends, the reductions are not driven by a shift toward artificial intelligence replacing human workers. However, the move comes as U.S. companies have cited AI as the primary reason for job cuts for two consecutive months.
Broader Industry Context
According to a report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, employers announced 83,387 layoffs in April, a 38 percent increase from March. AI was responsible for 26 percent of those cuts, making it the most frequently cited cause. So far in 2026, 49,135 layoffs have been attributed to AI, ranking it as the third-largest cause of planned job losses overall.
Major tech companies including Google, Amazon, and Meta have poured billions into AI, prompting widespread operational restructuring. Jack Dorsey's Block announced plans to eliminate half of its workforce in February, and Cloudflare revealed a 20 percent reduction. Meta also disclosed plans to cut about 10 percent of its staff, with workers notified on May 20.
Meta's Ongoing Cuts
Meta, which had nearly 79,000 employees at the start of the year, expects to impact roughly 7,900 workers. The company also stated it would not fill 6,000 open roles. Additional layoffs at Meta are planned for the second half of 2026, according to sources. Janelle Gale, Meta's chief people officer, described the moves as part of an effort to run the company more efficiently and offset other investments.
Industry-Wide Impact
Layoffs.fyi, a tracker for tech industry job cuts, has recorded more than 103,000 reductions so far this year, compared to 124,000 for all of 2025. The persistent wave of layoffs underscores ongoing volatility in the tech sector, even as companies invest heavily in emerging technologies.
