LinkedIn is laying off 5% of its staff as cuts in the tech industry continue. The social network, which is a part of Microsoft, has 17,500 employees, according to its website. It has operated mostly in an independent manner.
CEO Daniel Shapero said the move is part of a plan to drive more impact to users.
"As part of our usual business planning, we've implemented organizational changes to position ourselves in the best way possible into the future," a spokesperson added.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Reuters said artificial intelligence is not the cause for the layoffs.
However, the shadow of AI has been looming over several top companies, some of which have announced thousands of layoffs over the past weeks to focus more resources in the technology.
In fact, AI was the leading reason companies gave for layoffs in April for the second straight month in the U.S.
Outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that 21,490 layoffs in April were tied to AI-related restructuring, accounting for 26% of all announced cuts during the month. The total number of layoffs rose 38% from March, while the technology sector recorded the largest share of reductions with 33,361 job cuts, according to the firm.
Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said companies are increasingly redirecting payroll budgets toward AI investments rather than expanding headcount.
"Regardless of whether individual jobs are being replaced by AI, the money for those roles is," Challenger said in a statement released alongside the report.
The layoffs also unfolded against a backdrop of global instability and economic strain tied to President Donald Trump's tariff agenda and the ongoing Iran war. Companies cited both factors as contributing to workforce reductions. Challenger data showed "market and economic conditions" remained the most commonly cited reason for layoffs in 2026, accounting for 53,058 announced cuts so far this year.
Company closures ranked as the second-largest reason for April layoffs, followed by cost-cutting measures.
Some economists and labor experts, however, have questioned whether companies are overstating AI's role in job cuts. Forbes cited experts who argued that businesses may be attributing layoffs to AI while broader financial pressures, post-pandemic restructuring and shareholder demands are also driving reductions.
Similar concerns were raised in coverage from The Register, which reported that some companies have struggled to maintain productivity after reducing staff and replacing roles with AI systems that still require human oversight.
