Oracle Corporation has announced one of its largest workforce reductions in recent years, with an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 employees laid off across regions including the US, India, Canada and Latin America. The decision was conveyed through early-morning emails, affecting multiple teams and roles, reported NDTV.
Layoffs impact long-serving employees
Among those impacted was Nina Lewis, a senior security professional with more than three decades at Oracle. "After 30+ years at Oracle, I join the 30,000 or so laid off today," she wrote on LinkedIn, per NDTV.
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Lewis, who joined the company in the early 1990s, held roles across database and security functions. In her latest position as security alert manager, she worked on translating vulnerabilities into guidance for enterprise clients and collaborated with engineering teams during threat situations.
In her post, she suggested that internal systems may have influenced layoffs, pointing to the possibility that senior contributors and mid-level managers were disproportionately affected. She also noted that employees with outstanding stock options may have been among those impacted.
AI-led restructuring across industries
The layoffs come amid a broader trend across the tech sector. Companies such as Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Disney and ASML have also announced job cuts in recent weeks.
A key factor behind these moves is increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI). Firms are automating processes and restructuring teams to improve efficiency and reduce costs. This shift has affected roles across levels, from entry-level positions to senior management.
Who is most at risk?
The impact is being felt across experience levels. Entry-level roles tied to routine tasks are increasingly being automated, reducing opportunities for fresh graduates. At the same time, companies are reassessing high-cost roles.
Per NDTV, senior software engineer Roushan Singh said, "For freshers, the current market is brutal as top MNCs has almost freezed their hiring, currently hiring on a need basics."
He added, "Mid and senior level engineers are expected to utilise AI in their workflow to improve productivity. Therefore, hiring is limited in both service and product based companies. And higher position like managers, directors, which were earlier considered safe because of the experience they bring to the table, are also affected."
Poornima Gupta of Great Lakes Institute of Management was quoted as saying by NDTV, "AI is eroding the bottom layer. Companies now need lesser people. At present, no college can guarantee 100 per cent placement. Therefore, several job aspirants now focus on earning some experience (even with less money) and then working on their own start-up."
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A shifting workforce landscape
The focus for many companies has moved from short-term cost-cutting to long-term restructuring for an AI-driven future. As automation expands, workforce composition is evolving, with both junior and senior roles under pressure.
