And just like that, the tech layoffs start again 😞 If you’ve been in this industry long enough, the headline is familiar. Still disappointing. And still heavy.
I lived through this firsthand during my time at Google. In 2023, many close friends and colleagues were impacted by the company’s largest workforce reduction to date. Beyond the obvious personal toll, it had a real and lasting effect on momentum, trust, and culture - far more than most post-hoc memos will ever admit.
At this point, layoffs have become a strange but unmistakable feature of tech in the 2020s. Companies will cite restructuring, shifting priorities, or macro conditions - and sometimes those explanations are valid. More often than not, layoffs are less about a single mistake and more about correcting decisions made during periods of rapid growth - when hiring, investment, and priorities were all set against assumptions that didn’t fully materialize.
There’s also a quieter, more uncomfortable reality in the background: AI-driven transformation is going to reshape not just roles, but the overall size and structure of workforces across every industry. I don’t believe that’s what drove this particular decision - but between now and 2030, we should expect this dynamic to become increasingly common. Not always as a headline, but as a structural shift in how work gets done and how many people are needed to do it.
And it’s worth pausing here, because these aren’t abstract roles or org charts. These are PEOPLE - with families, obligations, and identities deeply tied to their work. That human reality often gets lost in strategy decks and earnings calls.
Which is why the window for thoughtful upskilling, workforce evolution planning, and responsible AI adoption has never been more urgent. Leaders are being asked to navigate one of the most complex transitions this industry has faced - balancing innovation, efficiency, and human impact at the same time. There are no easy answers. 🤷♂️
If you’re a strategist or engineer who’s been impacted by the recent Meta layoffs - or someone with a genuine interest in building with AI in a practical, grounded way - our door at AI Momentum Partners (AMP) is always open. Just reach out. 👋