Oracle layoffs jolt workforce; 30,000 jobs at risk globally, 12,000 in India

Austin: Oracle has triggered a sweeping wave of layoffs, blindsiding employees with pre-dawn emails and fuelling fears of a deep workforce reset as the company pivots towards artificial intelligence.

Staff across teams reported receiving termination notices as early as 5 to 6 am, with roles scrapped effective immediately. There was little warning and, in many cases, no prior conversations with managers or HR, amplifying the shock.

The cuts are believed to span Oracle’s computing business across regions, including India and Mexico. While the company has not confirmed the scale, posts on Blind, Reddit and X point to widespread disruption.

India appears among the hardest hit. Nearly 12,000 employees may have been laid off from a base of around 30,000, according to ANI. Globally, job losses are being pegged at close to 30,000, about 18 per cent of Oracle’s workforce, though this remains unverified by the company.

Accounts from inside teams suggest steep reductions. One X user wrote: “Just got a call from a friend who is a senior manager (at Oracle). 6 out of 20 members have been asked to leave. In many teams, almost 50% of team members are gone. Total layoffs are almost 20%.”

In several cases, emails sent directly from “Oracle Leadership” were followed by immediate revocation of system access, effectively locking employees out within minutes.

An internal note cited “organisational changes”, adding that “because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant.”

The severance package reportedly includes 15 days’ salary for each year of service, one month’s notice pay, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and a two-month salary top-up. However, this is said to apply to those who opt to resign voluntarily.

Sources suggest another round of cuts could follow within a month, though there is no official confirmation.

The layoffs come as Oracle ramps up spending on AI infrastructure and data centres, mirroring a broader industry shift. Amazon and others have trimmed headcount this year to fund similar bets.

The signal is stark. In the AI race, jobs are the first casualty, and the axe may not have finished swinging.