Tech Industry Mass Layoffs in 2025: The Truth Behind 100,000 Job Losses

Just entering the second half of 2025, the tech industry has delivered a shocking number: layoffs have exceeded 100,000. This figure reminds me of the 2008 financial crisis, except this time the protagonists are those tech giants who were once infinitely glorious.

As a practitioner who has been working in the tech industry for many years, I have witnessed this industry's journey from crazy expansion during the pandemic to today's rational return. What industry logic lies behind this wave of layoffs?

The Layoff Army: Who's Wielding the Axe?

According to statistics from Tom's Hardware, as of July 2025, the layoff situation of major tech companies is as follows:

Intel leads this "layoff race," cutting 12,000 jobs in one fell swoop. Honestly, this number isn't surprising. With the continued downturn in the PC market and being left behind by NVIDIA in the AI chip field, Intel's days are indeed tough.

Microsoft follows closely, laying off 10,000 people. Interestingly, Microsoft is investing heavily in AI on one hand while drastically cutting jobs in traditional businesses on the other. This "build with one hand, tear down with the other" operation perfectly reflects the contradictory psychology of tech companies during transformation periods.

Meta laid off 8,000 people, Amazon 7,500, Google 5,600... Behind these numbers are countless families whose lives have been completely changed. What's even more concerning is that startups have laid off more than 50,000 people, meaning the entire innovation ecosystem is experiencing a winter.

Three Deep-Rooted Causes That Cannot Be Ignored

The Burst of the Pandemic Bubble

Remember that "golden period" from 2020-2022? Remote work sent Zoom's stock price soaring, online education caused various app downloads to explode, and the metaverse concept led Meta to invest tens of billions of dollars. At that time, it seemed like all companies related to "digitalization" were hiring frantically.

But reality is cruel. When people returned to offline life and the novelty wore off, these over-amplified demands began returning to normal levels. I have many friends around me who jumped to "trending" companies during that period but now face the risk of being laid off.

AI is Really "Stealing Jobs"

In this wave of layoffs, AI has indeed played an important role, but it's not the "robot world domination" sci-fi story that media portrays. The reality is that AI is redefining the value of work.

I recently chatted with several friends working at big tech companies, and they told me that writing simple CRUD code and doing basic data processing can indeed be mostly completed by AI now. A senior engineer working with AI tools can match the workload of three or four junior programmers from before.

This isn't fear-mongering; it's happening reality.

Rational Return of Capital Markets

Starting in 2023, with Silicon Valley Bank's collapse and continuously rising interest rates, investors' purse strings have obviously tightened. The old model of "burn money first to capture market share, worry about profits later" basically doesn't work anymore.

Several entrepreneurs I know are lamenting that fundraising is much harder now than before. Investors no longer believe in "beautiful stories"; they want to see real revenue and clear paths to profitability. This change has directly led to massive layoffs at companies that depend on funding to "stay alive."

Some Thoughts for Tech Professionals

Facing this wave of layoffs, how should we as tech practitioners respond? Based on my observations and reflections over the years, I'd like to share a few points.

Dance with AI, Don't Fight It

Many people worry that AI will replace programmers, but I think this worry is somewhat unnecessary. The real threat isn't AI itself, but programmers who are proficient at using AI.

My coding efficiency has improved by at least 50% compared to two years ago, not because I became smarter, but because I learned how to better collaborate with AI. ChatGPT helps me write boilerplate code, Copilot assists me with repetitive work, giving me more time to think about architecture and business logic.

The key is to change your mindset: AI isn't your competitor; it's your tool.

From "Code Monkey" to "Solution Expert"

Pure coding skills are depreciating in value—this is an undeniable fact. But this doesn't mean programmers have no future; it means we need to enhance our comprehensive abilities.

Those friends around me who remained unscathed in this wave of layoffs all share a common trait: they don't just write code, they understand business, products, and users. They can think about problems from a higher dimension and propose complete solutions.

Technology is just a means; solving problems is the goal.

Build Your Own "Moat"

This layoff wave made me deeply realize that relying solely on one job isn't enough. We need to build our own "moat."

This moat could be your tech blog, your open-source projects, or your professional reputation in a specific niche. When layoffs come, these accumulations will become your best protection.

I know a friend who consistently writes technical articles and contributes significantly to an open-source project. When he was laid off, several companies quickly reached out to him proactively. This is the power of personal branding.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 layoff wave might just be the beginning. The tech industry is undergoing profound transformation. Those who can adapt to change will stand out, while those who remain rigid may be abandoned by the times.

But I remain confident about this industry. Technological development never stops, and new opportunities are always born from change. The key is to maintain a learning mindset, embrace change rather than resist it.

After all, in this rapidly changing era, the only constant is change itself.