4 layoff headlines from February 2026.
February 5, 2026 · Bloomberg
Deloitte Cuts 3,000 Consulting and Audit Staff as AI Transforms Advisory
Deloitte laid off 3,000 employees across its consulting and audit practices as AI-powered tools automated an increasing share of traditional advisory, compliance, and auditing work. The cuts affected all four major practice areas but were heaviest in tax and audit where AI copilots now handle routine analysis. Deloitte said it will retrain some affected staff for AI implementation consulting roles.
February 10, 2026 · The New York Times
Paramount Slashes 1,500 in Post-Skydance Merger Integration
Paramount cut another 1,500 employees as the post-Skydance merger integration eliminated redundant studios, marketing, and distribution divisions. The combined entity is consolidating Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance's production pipeline into a single content operation. Industry analysts estimate the merged company has shed nearly 5,000 roles in total since merger discussions began in 2024.
February 25, 2026 · Reuters
IBM Eliminates 5,000 Back-Office Roles, Replaced by AI Automation
IBM cut 5,000 positions — roughly 2% of its total workforce — as the company replaced back-office functions including HR, procurement, and finance with its own WatsonX AI platform. CEO Arvind Krishna had previously said IBM expected to replace 7,800 jobs with AI over five years; the company is ahead of schedule. IBM simultaneously increased hiring for AI consulting and hybrid cloud engineers.
February 18, 2026 · The Wall Street Journal
Stripe Cuts 6% of Workforce as AI Automates Compliance Functions
Stripe laid off about 600 employees — 6% of its workforce — as the payments giant automated more of its underwriting, fraud detection, and regulatory compliance operations with AI. The cuts came despite Stripe processing record payment volumes, underscoring how AI efficiency gains are reducing headcount even at growing companies. Stripe said it remains committed to hiring in engineering and product roles.