by Job search giants Indeed and Glassdoor are laying off approximately 1,300 employees as their parent company, Japan-based Recruit Holdings, pivots sharply toward artificial intelligence to reshape recruitment. The move, which impacts about 6% of the company’s global workforce, reflects a growing trend among corporations integrating AI to streamline operations and reduce labor-intensive tasks.
- Recruit Holdings announced layoffs impacting about 6% of its workforce, or roughly 1,300 jobs
- The cuts affect research & development and people & sustainability teams in the U.S., among other global regions
- Employees were informed of the layoffs via email on Thursday and are receiving official notices the same day
- Glassdoor operations will be merged into Indeed as part of a company-wide restructuring
- Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong is stepping down
- Recruit Holdings CEO Hisayuki “Deko” Idekoba cited AI’s rapid evolution as the driving force behind the decision
- Idekoba emphasized the goal of simplifying hiring and reducing manual labor in the $300 billion HR industry
- He stated that currently, one-third of the company’s new code is generated by AI, and this could soon increase to 50%
- The layoffs come amid a broader wave of corporate enthusiasm for AI, despite growing concerns over job displacement
- At the Aspen Ideas Festival, Ford CEO Jim Farley warned that AI could replace half of all white-collar jobs in the U.S.
- Recruit Holdings says its transformation aims to enhance job search and hiring through automation and data
The restructuring signals a major shift in how some of the world’s most prominent job platforms plan to operate in the AI era, potentially reshaping employment services across the globe.
