Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTWajeeh KhanThu, June 4, 2026 at 3:38 PM GMT+2 2 min readSan Francisco-headquartered Uber Technologies (UBER) is trimming about 23% of its People and Places division, the department responsible for human resources, recruitment, workplace facilities, and corporate culture initiatives.The layoffs affect less than 1% of the company’s total global workforce of about 34,000 employees, with senior-level positions accounting for a disproportionately large share of the eliminated roles.More News from BarchartDear Amazon Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for June 23BNP Paribas Initiates Coverage on CoreWeave. That Means CRWV Stock Could Soar 71% from Here.Super Micro Computer Just Unveiled the New AMD Helios Platform. What That Means for SMCI Stock.Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines.UBER shares have been a disappointing investment in 2026, currently down about 20% versus their year-to-date high.www.barchart.comWhat These Layoffs Mean for UBER StockThe announced restructuring is being led by Jill Hazelbaker, who was promoted to president and chief corporate affairs officer just three weeks before the announcement.She characterized the division as having become overly complex with overlapping responsibilities and unclear ownership, stating her goal is to build a more streamlined and “operationally excellent” organization.CEO Dara Khosrowshahi supported the decision, framing the changes as necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the People team.In short, the layoffs signal a disciplined shift toward leaner operations and cost efficiency that Wall Street tends to reward.Eliminating redundant senior roles — which carry heavier compensation costs — stands to improve the margin profile, giving UBER stock a credible catalyst for re-rating higher from recent oversold levels.Are These AI-Driven Job Cuts?UBER explicitly said artificial intelligence (AI) didn’t drive this round of job cuts, distinguishing itself from many other companies that have cited AI as a primary reason for workforce reduction in 2026.However, the firm’s broader relationship with AI remains complex and financially significant. Uber burned through its entire 2026 AI coding budget within just four months, prompting management to institute tiered spending caps of $1,500 per month per tool on agentic AI software.AI coding assistants have reached as much as 95% monthly adoption among UBER’s engineering workforce, and about 10% of the company’s code is now AI-generated, leading management to indicate it will moderate hiring relative to original plans due to internal AI productivity benefits.Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info