Innodata, a US based data-engineering and AI-services company, has laid off nearly 550 employees in India, with additional job cuts reported in the Philippines. The layoffs took place on 26 October, 2026, and were marked by abrupt system lockouts and deactivation of official IDs, leaving employees scrambling for information and records.
Workers in India began their day as usual, logging in and recording attendance. By midday, reports of layoffs started circulating. Soon after, employees reportedly lost access to company systems, and received termination emails on their personal accounts. The emails, as reported by India Today, cited a reduction in business assignments as the reason for ending employment, stressing that the decision was linked to operational requirements rather than individual performance.
Innodata, headquartered in New Jersey and founded in 1988, provides AI data services such as labelling, model training, evaluation, and safety testing. Its clients include major global firms such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Sony, HP, Boeing, and Deloitte. According to its 2025 annual report, the company employed over 10,000 people worldwide.
The sudden layoffs left employees in India forming WhatsApp groups to trace who else had been affected. By evening, nearly 500 members had joined, many confused and anxious about their employment status. Workers reported being unable to download payslips or complete exit formalities as access to HR portals was revoked. Termination letters mentioned that final settlements would be processed once company assets were returned.
In the Philippines, employees also reported mass layoffs, with roles such as raters, quality experts, team leads, and managers affected. Online posts suggested the cuts were linked to declining service volumes from a major client project.
The company has not yet publicly confirmed the total number of employees affected across India and the Philippines. For those impacted, the immediate concern remains recovering records, understanding the reasons behind the cuts, and completing the exit process.
