American Express is planning to reduce its global workforce by 5 per cent as it reorganises operations to improve efficiency and prepare for wider adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). The restructuring will result in thousands of job cuts and a charge of $336 million, according to the company’s third-quarter earnings disclosures.
The credit card company had nearly 77,000 employees at the end of 2025. The planned reduction, therefore, represents a significant workforce adjustment as it looks to simplify its organisational structure and prepare for greater automation of internal processes.
The restructuring involves reducing management layers and broadening spans of control, with the aim of creating a leaner operating model that can accommodate automation in the coming quarters and years. The company has indicated that the changes are intended to improve organisational agility and efficiency while supporting its longer-term growth plans.
Artificial Intelligence is also becoming a more prominent part of American Express’s approach to customer service and product development. During its earnings discussion, Chief Executive Officer Stephen Squeri highlighted the technology’s potential to personalise customer experiences and offers. The company is also exploring how AI agents can be integrated into its systems, while maintaining controls over access to customer and merchant information.
The workforce reduction comes amid a broader shift across the financial services sector, where companies are reassessing roles and operating models as AI capabilities expand. Barclays has also announced plans to cut around 5,000 jobs, equivalent to approximately 5 per cent of its workforce, citing organisational simplification and the productivity gains expected from AI.
The developments point to a growing focus among financial institutions on redesigning work alongside technology investments. For American Express, the restructuring signals that preparations for AI adoption extend beyond deploying new tools to changing organisational structures and workforce requirements.
