Entry-Level Tech Watch

2026 Tech Layoffs Have Passed All of 2025, But the Trackers Disagree on How Many

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tech layoffs in 2026 have already passed the full-year total for 2025, but how far past depends on who is counting. If you are trying to understand the job market, it helps to know why the headline numbers disagree.

Four trackers, four totals

Tracker	2026 count	Coverage
Layoffs.fyi	128,536 employees at 299 companies	Through Sept 10
Challenger, Gray & Christmas	155,126 US tech job cuts	Through August; up 52% year over year
TrueUp	190,077 people across 623 layoffs	Running total at time of writing
SkillSyncer	225,122 workers across 519 events	As of late September

For comparison, Layoffs.fyi counted 122,606 tech layoffs for all of 2025, so its 2026 total had already passed that by September, as Second Talent’s summary notes.

CS Graduate Unemployment Is Around 7.1%, an AP Analysis Finds: What It Means for the Class of 2026

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A new Associated Press analysis puts the jobless rate for recent computer science and computer engineering graduates at around 7.1%, according to the AP report as republished by Japan Today. For a degree once treated as a safe bet, that is a notable number.

What is behind it

The AP points to several causes at once. Part of it reflects the huge number of students who enrolled during the coding boom, so more graduates are competing for roughly the same pool of openings. At the same time, large employers such as Microsoft, Meta and Google are using AI for a bigger share of code writing, and Amazon and others are cutting staff while spending on AI accelerates.

IBM Plans to Triple US Entry-Level Hiring in 2026, With Different Job Descriptions

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The usual story is that AI is wiping out entry-level tech jobs. IBM is making the opposite bet, and the details of how it is doing so are worth reading.

What IBM said

TechCrunch reported, citing Bloomberg, that IBM plans to triple entry-level hiring in the US in 2026. An IBM executive, LaMoreaux, acknowledged these are the same jobs people are told AI can do. IBM did not say how many people it would hire.

Is AI Really Behind the Entry-Level Tech Slump? What the Evidence Supports and What It Doesn't

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Companies increasingly cite AI when they cut staff, and headlines about struggling computer science graduates usually do the same. But “AI was mentioned” and “AI caused it” are different claims. Here is what the sources support.

Evidence that points to AI

More cuts are attributed to AI. Challenger data cited by Computerworld shows AI blamed for 40% of tech job cuts in May, up from 7% in January.
Employers are shifting code work to AI. The AP reports that Microsoft, Meta and Google are using AI for a larger share of code writing.
Some cuts are genuinely driven by AI adoption. The SkillSyncer tracker says this applies to many layoffs at the biggest companies.

Evidence that points elsewhere

The slowdown started earlier. An On EdTech analysis, published as sponsored content on Higher Ed Dive, argues that the downturn in new-graduate hiring began before generative AI was widely adopted, and that AI may be speeding it up without being the main driver. Because it is sponsored content, weigh it accordingly.
Too many graduates for the openings. The AP says the elevated jobless rate partly reflects the large number of students who enrolled during the coding boom.
A pandemic hangover. Futurism describes companies embracing AI tools while cutting entry-level roles and pulling back from COVID-era over-hiring.
Blame can be convenient. SkillSyncer acknowledges that some companies attribute to AI cuts they would have made regardless.

What is still unclear

IEEE Spectrum notes that entry-level hiring at the largest tech firms fell sharply, yet it remains unclear whether those cuts are actually a result of AI. Counting methods also blur the picture, since many trackers tag a layoff as AI-related whenever the company or press says so, even if the money was simply redirected to AI projects.

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This site follows how AI is changing the job market for computer science students and new graduates: hiring data, layoffs, and what employers say they want.

Every news claim links to its original source. Drafts are prepared with AI assistance and then reviewed and edited by Zeeshan, a self-taught backend developer who adds his own commentary to each post. Zeeshan is responsible for what is published here.

If you spot an error, please use the contact page and it will be corrected.

Contact

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

For corrections, questions, or story tips, email zeeshannjatt@gmail.com.

Privacy Policy

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Last updated: October 3, 2026

This site does not ask visitors to create accounts or submit personal data. If you email me, I use your address only to reply.

Analytics. The site uses Cloudflare’s analytics to see aggregate usage, such as pages viewed and approximate location. It is not used to identify individual visitors.

Cookies and advertising. Once ads are enabled, third-party vendors, including Google, may use cookies to serve ads based on a visitor’s earlier visits to this and other sites. You can opt out of personalized advertising in Google’s Ads Settings. You can also read how Google uses information from sites that use its services.