Recruit Holdings, the Japanese parent company of Indeed and Glassdoor, announced layoffs cutting approximately 1,300 jobs, roughly six percent of their HR tech staff, primarily in the U.S. on July 10.
This move is directly linked to the company’s shift towards increased use of artificial intelligence in their recruitment platforms.
AI reshapes job platforms: Impact on Indeed and Glassdoor employees
The layoffs mainly affect employees in research and development, people operations, and sustainability teams, reflecting Recruit Holdings’ effort to streamline and innovate its HR technology services through AI integration.
Glassdoor’s operations will be merged into Indeed’s, marking the departure of Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong as of October 1, 2025.
Recruit Holdings CEO Hisayuki “Deko” Idekoba emphasised the necessity of adapting to AI to “deliver truly great experiences for job seekers and employers.”
He noted that about one-third of new programming code is already AI-generated and expects it to rise to 50% soon. Idekoba described hiring as “still too slow and too hard” and positioned AI as the key to simplifying and personalising the process for all users.
AI drives broader industry workforce reductions.
Indeed and Glassdoor’s job cuts follow a pattern across tech industries worldwide, driven by AI adoption.
In recent months, other major firms like Microsoft, Meta, and TikTok have announced layoffs, aiming to redirect resources toward AI development amidst economic pressure.
These changes reflect broader concerns about job security, especially for entry-level positions, as AI reshapes labour markets.
Experts warn that automation could disproportionately impact lower-tier and white-collar jobs, akin to the manufacturing declines of the 1980s.
LinkedIn’s economic officer, Aneesh Raman, compared this transformation to a “once-in-a-generation moment” demanding companies move quickly to innovate or risk obsolescence.
Indeed previously cut 2,200 jobs in 2023 and around 1,000 in 2024, underscoring a steady reduction tied to evolving tech strategies.
Meanwhile, leadership changes accompany the restructuring: Indeed’s Chief People and Sustainability Officer LaFawn Davis will depart in September, with Recruit COO Ayano Senaha taking over those responsibilities.
This wave of layoffs highlights AI’s growing role in HR technology, setting a new course for how job platforms operate and the human workforce behind them.
