US software firm ClickUp sacks 22 pc of workforce, CEO ‘owns’ layoffs

New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) US-based software firm ClickUp has reduced headcount by 22 per cent as part of operations restructure to improve output “100-fold” through AI‑oriented roles.

ClickUp CEO said the move was made from a position of strength, with most savings to be redirected to remaining employees and higher compensation for those who deliver outsized impact using AI.

“Today we reduced headcount by 22 per cent. The business is the strongest it’s ever been. I made this decision and I own it. I did it because the way to operate at the highest level of productivity is changing,” Zeb Evans Founder and CEO of Software firm ClickUp, said in a social media post on X.

Everyone affected receives a package aimed at honouring their contributions and easing the transition, Evans said. The company will introduce $1 million cash per year salary bands for employees who produce “100x impact”.

He outlined a new operating model where the highest‑performing engineers and product leaders will not simply write code but will orchestrate and review AI agents, increasing their productivity many fold.

“The common narrative is that AI makes everyone more productive. It doesn’t. Many of the workflows of today, if left unchanged, create bottlenecks in AI systems,” his post read.

If the company’s best engineers are spending time reviewing other employees’ code, then it creates an “inefficient bottleneck,” he said, adding that these engineers can review their agent’s code much faster than reviewing human code.

“Ironically, the people that automate their jobs with AI will always have a job. They become owners of the AI systems – agent managers,” the CEO said.

Facebook parent Meta earlier this week began laying off 10 per cent of its global workforce to bolster its artificial intelligence initiatives.

Global tech layoffs are accelerating in 2026, with more than 100,000 jobs already cut and total losses likely to exceed 3 lakh this year, led by companies like Oracle, Amazon, and Meta, according to reports.

–IANS

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