Indeed and Glassdoor lay off 1,300 employees to focus on AI

Indeed

In a move that feels a little ironic, Indeed, one of the world’s biggest job search platforms, is laying off employees. Its sister company Glassdoor is also affected. Their parent company, Recruit Holdings, based in Japan, has announced that around 1,300 people will lose their jobs as the companies shift their focus to artificial intelligence, according to a Reuters report.

The layoffs will impact about 6 percent of the company’s HR tech team. Most of the affected roles are in the United States, especially in departments like research and development, growth, and sustainability. But the cuts are spread out across teams and countries.

While the company hasn’t shared a detailed reason, Recruit’s CEO Hisayuki "Deko" Idekoba said the change is all about keeping up with technology. "AI is changing the world, and we must adapt by ensuring our product delivers truly great experiences for job seekers and employers," he said.

What makes this especially striking is that Indeed is designed to help people find jobs. And now it’s cutting jobs to invest more in AI. Glassdoor, which is known for company reviews and salary information rather than job listings, will also be more closely merged into Indeed's operations.

As part of the changes, Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong will leave the company on October 1. Indeed’s Chief People Officer LaFawn Davis is also stepping down on September 1, and will be replaced by Ayano Senaha, the chief operating officer of Recruit.

Tech giants like Microsoft and Meta have made similar moves recently, reducing staff while doubling down on AI. But when companies that are all about jobs are laying off people themselves, it shows just how deeply AI is changing the workplace.