Technology companies laid off more than 45,800 employees in March 2026, marking the highest monthly job cuts in the sector in the past two years, according to data from Layoffs.fyi.
The data showed that 92,272 employees across 98 tech companies have lost their jobs so far this year.
Oracle accounted for the largest share of layoffs in March, cutting around 30,000 jobs globally. The company described the move as part of a broader organisational change.
Reports suggest many firms are reducing staff to free up capital for investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Atlassian cut 1,600 jobs in March, citing increased spending on AI and enterprise sales.
Epic Games eliminated 1,000 roles, or 20 percent of its workforce, blaming lower engagement with its game Fortnite.
Meta also laid off 700 employees from its Reality Labs division tied to the metaverse project. The company is reportedly planning another 8,000 layoffs this year, equivalent to about 10 percent of its workforce, with additional cuts expected later in 2026.
Microsoft is also offering buyouts for up to 8,750 roles.
A report by The Wall Street Journal said large-scale layoffs could weaken companies by reducing staff involved in business planning, customer support, and safe deployment of AI systems.
The report also warned that layoffs may encourage skilled workers to launch rival startups and increase public backlash against AI, which is increasingly being viewed as a threat to jobs.
Analysts said the layoffs may not be driven by AI investments alone. Some companies are also correcting overhiring from previous years and attempting to improve productivity metrics. Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence showed Oracle generates lower annual revenue per employee compared to rivals such as Microsoft.