Tech Layoffs Hit 148,092 in 2026 at 981/Day — ML Engineer Openings Up 59% While General Software Posts Down 49%

TechTimes·medium signal

TrueUp's workforce tracker shows 148,092 displaced tech workers since January 1 at 981/day, running 46% above the 2025 average, as profitable companies including Meta, Amazon, and Oracle explicitly redirect payroll savings toward $700B in AI infrastructure. Stanford HAI data shows software developer employment for workers under 26 fell nearly 20% since 2024, concentrated in boilerplate coding and routine testing roles AI now handles. Meanwhile ML engineer openings are up 59% and general software postings sit 49% below pre-pandemic levels — the labor market is bifurcating, not shrinking uniformly.