World Morning Star
Barclays using AI as an excuse to cut 5,000 jobs, says Unite
BARCLAYS announced around 5,000 job cuts by the end of 2026 after turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for “efficiencies” today. The banking group said this is the equivalent of about 5 per cent of
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The banking group said this is the equivalent of about 5 per cent of all its employees, which totalled around 93,000 globally at the end of 2025.
Some 1,000 of the roles were cut during the first half of 2026, and the remainder are spread out over the second half of the year.
The majority of the reductions relate to operational and functional roles across the bank.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Barclays workers deserve better than this. The company is using AI as an excuse to discard its loyal and long-suffering workforce.
“Employers should be focused on upgrading employees’ skills so that they remain employed as new technology changes the workplace. Instead, Barclays is guilty of taking a short-term, kneejerk approach. Unite is working with its members to find the best way forward to reset this destructive announcement.”
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