New Delhi, May 23 -- The latest wave of tech layoffs looks very different from the massive workforce cuts that hit Silicon Valley during 2022 and 2023. Earlier layoffs were largely driven by pandemic overhiring, slowing ad markets and fears of an economic downturn. But in 2025, many companies are restructuring for a different reason: artificial intelligence. Instead of broad-based cuts across departments, technology firms are increasingly redesigning their organisations around AI-assisted workflows, flatter hierarchies and smaller teams.

One of the clearest shifts in 2025 layoffs is the growing focus on middle-management roles. According to a 2025 survey by Gartner, CEOs are actively looking to "delayer significant chunks of middle manag...