Oracle is undergoing a massive global overhaul, cutting 21,000 positions as it aggressively integrates artificial intelligence across its operations.
The tech giant formally linked the workforce reductions to its rapid deployment of AI and automation tools in its latest regulatory filings.
The company had a total workforce of 141,000 as of May 31, 2026, compared with about 162,000 as of the same period last year, according to its annual report released on Monday, according to a Reuters report.
Oracle spent $1.84 billion in severance payments and other exit costs related to the restructuring activities in fiscal 2026, significantly higher than the $374 million spent in the previous fiscal year, the filing showed.
It also said in its filing that the workforce adjustments were in response to various factors, including management and product changes, performance issues, strategic shifts, and acquisitions.
The decline in the workforce follows multiple reports earlier this year about Oracle cutting thousands of jobs.
Worries are quickly mounting over job losses due to AI disruption, as 196 tech companies have laid off more than 119,800 employees so far this year, according to Layoffs. fyi, a website tracking sector-wide job cuts.
A smaller player in the cloud-computing industry for a long time, Oracle has in recent months signed massive data-center deals with OpenAI and Meta to compete more forcefully with rivals such as Amazon and Microsoft.
However, unlike these tech giants, which fund their substantial outlays through large cash flows, Oracle has had to resort to burning cash and issuing debt. Shares of the company were down about 10% this year.
Oracle said earlier this month that it expects net capital expenditure of around $70 billion in its current fiscal year. To fund that, it will raise another $40 billion in debt and equity, including a previously announced $20 billion stock issuance.
