Cloud technology major, Oracle reduced its global workforce by around 13 per cent, or approximately 21,000 employees, during fiscal 2026 as it continued a broad restructuring programme amid shifting business priorities and growing adoption of artificial intelligence across its operations.
According to the company’s annual report released this week, Oracle employed 1,41,000 people as of 31 May, 2026, down from nearly 1,62,000 a year earlier. The filing also revealed that the company spent $1.84 billion on severance and other restructuring-related costs during the fiscal year, a sharp increase from $374 million spent in fiscal 2025.
The workforce reduction comes after reports earlier this year suggested that Oracle was eliminating thousands of roles as part of efforts to streamline operations. The company stated that the changes were driven by a combination of factors, including management restructuring, product portfolio adjustments, performance-related decisions, strategic realignments and integration activities linked to acquisitions.
The development comes at a time when concerns around AI-led job disruption continue to grow across the technology sector. Industry-wide layoffs have remained elevated in 2026, with technology companies continuing to reassess workforce requirements while investing heavily in AI and automation initiatives.
