Big tech layoffs ripple
More than 45,000 tech jobs have been cut in early 2026—big names like Meta and Dell are in the mix as companies shift spending from headcount to AI infrastructure. Meanwhile Salesforce reports moderated revenue but strong profitability and is returning cash via aggressive buybacks—illustrating where capital is flowing even as headcount falls ( ).
RationalFX’s tracker counted 45,363 tech job cuts worldwide through March 9, 2026, with roughly 30,846 — about 68% — occurring in the United States. (rationalfx.com) RationalFX’s data list names Amazon (about 16,000 announced cuts so far in 2026), Block (roughly 4,000), and WiseTech Global (about 2,000) among the largest single-company contributors to the total. (rationalfx.com) Meta announced several hundred job cuts on March 25, 2026 affecting Reality Labs, recruiting, sales and global operations — a move Reuters and CNBC report impacts fewer than 1,000 roles and follows earlier Reality Labs reductions. (money.usnews.com) Meta’s public filings and investor materials show the company is planning a dramatic capital-spending increase for 2026, forecasting $115 billion to $135 billion in capex to build AI infrastructure and Superintelligence Labs. (investor.atmeta.com) Dell’s fiscal 2026 10‑K shows headcount fell by about 11,000 year‑over‑year to roughly 97,000 employees as of Jan. 31, 2026, and the company recorded approximately $569 million in severance charges during the period. (money.usnews.com) Salesforce reported fiscal‑year 2026 revenue of $41.5 billion, a GAAP operating margin of 20.1% and a non‑GAAP operating margin of 34.1%, and said it returned $14.3 billion to shareholders in FY26, including $12.7 billion in share repurchases and a new $50 billion repurchase authorization. (s205.q4cdn.com) RationalFX estimates about 9,238 — roughly 20% of the tracked cuts — were explicitly linked to AI implementation or automation, even as major firms simultaneously increase AI capex (Meta $115–135B) or accelerate cash returns to shareholders (Salesforce $12.7B repurchased). (technode.global)
