IBM Workforce Strategy 2026: Balancing AI Pivot with 2% Headcount Reduction
IBM has reduced its global workforce to 286,800 as of early 2026, a 2% year-over-year decline driven by a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence and hybrid cloud. Despite the layoffs, the company's stock surged 40% in 2025, reflecting investor confidence in CEO Arvind Krishna’s approach to modernizing the legacy tech giant.