**Baidu Initiates Large-scale Layoffs, Thousands of Employees Affected**
In a recent move, the search giant Baidu in China has initiated a large-scale layoff operation, impacting multiple cities and core business teams, with the number of job cuts reaching what is considered to be the highest level in recent years.
According to a report by “Sohu,” the layoffs this time cover multiple business lines and departments, with layoff rates ranging from 10% to 25%, some departments close to 30%, and some teams possibly up to 40%. The layoffs affect offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other locations, with the scale of job cuts described as the “largest in recent years.” The main focus of the layoffs is on new employees with short tenure, older employees, and those with poor performance. An informed source familiar with Baidu told Sohu Technology that this is the largest adjustment Baidu has ever made, potentially involving thousands of people.
The most heavily affected are Baidu’s mobile-related businesses, including the Baidu App, Baidu Cloud Drive, and Baidu Library product teams. The positions being cut are in operations, sales, algorithms, project management, and support functions. Many employees have disclosed on social media platforms that they received departure notices in a short period of time.
Public information shows that Baidu’s workforce has been steadily decreasing since 2021, from around 45,500 people to 35,900 people at the end of last year. This round of layoffs is expected to further reduce its total number of employees, with the cumulative job cuts over the past four years exceeding tens of thousands.
Reuters cited sources as reporting that the main reasons for this round of layoffs are facing increasingly fierce competition in AI, as well as a double impact from declining advertising revenue.
The layoffs at Baidu reflect the challenges faced by tech companies in adapting to the rapidly changing landscape of the technology industry, as they strive to remain competitive and profitable.