Disney Layoffs Expand to Include Tech and HR Roles

The Walt Disney Company has initiated its third wave of job cuts this year, resulting in the elimination of approximately 300 roles within its technology and human resources departments. This latest round of layoffs underscores the company's strategic direction under CEO Josh D'Amaro, which emphasizes a greater focus on technology and artificial intelligence.

The reductions follow earlier workforce adjustments that impacted around 1,000 employees in marketing divisions and several hundred across entertainment units, including Pixar, ESPN, and National Geographic. Employees in HR and tech are now affected by these organizational changes.

Industry reports indicate that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly reshaping human resources functions. AI is increasingly capable of tasks such as resume screening and candidate recruitment, raising concerns about job security for HR professionals. Concurrently, the technology sector has experienced substantial layoffs in 2026, driven by automation and corporate investments in AI development.

Disney has recently intensified its AI initiatives, appointing Karandeep Anand as its first Chief Technology Officer and advertising for a Director of AI Enablement role. An earlier internal memo also suggested that AI could lead to future workforce reductions through workflow automation.

While these 300 eliminated positions represent a small fraction of Disney's overall workforce, they have a profound impact on the individuals affected. One former Disney employee, laid off in June, shared on LinkedIn that many of those let go in the recent tech and HR cuts were the same individuals who had assisted her during her own severance process.