USA – Cargill, a leading commodity trading company, plans to lay off approximately 200 technology positions worldwide.
The decision comes as the company shifts its focus towards building new digital technology and data capabilities, necessitating a realignment of its workforce.
A spokesperson for Cargill explained, “To deliver for our customers and the future of food and agriculture, we are building new digital technology and data capabilities. This means eliminating some roles across several locations that no longer support our technology needs or future growth strategy. We are committed to the care and support of the employees affected.”
In contrast to these layoffs, Cargill revealed plans to open a new office hub in Atlanta for its Digital Technology and Data (DT&D) organization last month. This initiative is separate from the positions being cut and aims to bolster the company’s technological capabilities.
The new hub is expected to hire around 400 professionals in data engineering, generative artificial intelligence, systems, applications, and products (SAP).
Brian Sikes, Cargill’s Board Chair and CEO, highlighted the strategic importance of the new hub, stating, “Georgia and Atlanta are welcoming, business-friendly environments that provide an ideal backdrop for Cargill’s investment in technology and innovation. With a new office hub in Atlanta, Cargill will be able to harness the immense potential of digital technology to drive our business forward.”
This move comes amid a broader trend of significant layoffs in the tech industry. In 2024, tech layoffs exceeded 100,000 jobs across more than 360 companies, continuing a pattern from 2023, when over 240,000 positions were cut.
Major firms like Salesforce, Intuit, Amazon, Dell, Microsoft, Google, and IBM have all announced substantial reductions in their workforces, often citing economic uncertainty and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) as key factors.
Traditionally seen as a stronghold of job security, the tech industry is now experiencing a significant shift towards automation.
This trend drastically impacts traditional roles, with AI increasingly handling tasks that previously required human intervention.
At a recent AI conference, Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang emphasized that the goal is to develop technology that doesn’t require programming knowledge, signaling a future where AI performs many functions currently managed by humans.
While this automation drive is creating new roles in AI and tech-related fields, it is also leading to widespread job losses, reflecting the industry’s ongoing transformation.
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