Oracle is preparing to eliminate as many as 20,000 to 30,000 jobs—roughly 12% to 18% of its workforce—as heavy spending on AI-focused data centers pressures its balance sheet, according to media reports. Wall Street expects the company’s free cash flow to remain negative for years, and lenders have reportedly scaled back financing for the buildout, TD Cowen said. The cuts, which could begin as early as March 2026, would span multiple divisions, with roles deemed less essential in an AI-driven model most at risk, and could free up $8 billion to $10 billion. Oracle is betting big on AI cloud services to compete with Amazon, Microsoft and Salesforce even as it reassesses open roles in its cloud unit; shares recently fell 0.9% to $151.56.
