The US technology firm Oracle laid off about 21,000 employees over the past year as part of restructuring its business around artificial intelligence (AI) technology, according to the company’s latest annual report.
The report said Oracle had about 141,000 full-time employees as of May 31, 2026, down from about 162,000 at the same point a year earlier — a significant reduction over the space of a year.
Oracle said the increased use of AI technology in its various operations had reduced its need for manpower, and indicated the trend could continue in future.
About 13 percent of Oracle’s total global workforce was affected by the layoffs. With huge investment currently going into AI infrastructure in the technology sector — particularly the building and expansion of data centres — various firms are cutting staff to control costs, and Oracle’s recent move is being seen as part of that trend.
It is not only Oracle: technology firms such as Amazon and Meta have also recently cut thousands of jobs because of heavy investment in AI. According to employment-tracking organisations, more than 100,000 workers have lost their jobs in the technology sector over the past year.
News of a major round of layoffs at Oracle had surfaced earlier, in April this year, in social-media posts by various employees, but its actual scope was not known then; the matter became clear after the annual report was published.
The company said it had spent about $1.8 billion over the past year on layoffs, severance pay and restructuring. In the previous financial year, spending in the same area was $374 million, far lower than the current figure.
Oracle also noted some risks around the restructuring process. The company fears that a shortage of skilled staff in certain roles could reduce productivity and affect future revenue.
Oracle is in stiff competition in the market for setting up data centres for top AI firms such as OpenAI and Meta. It is thought to be making major changes to its business strategy with that goal in mind.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report