The ride-hailing giant Uber has officially launched a major restructuring of its human resources department under the full leadership of its new president, Jill Hazelbaker. It is reported that this business adjustment will directly result in a 23% reduction in the department's workforce, aiming to further streamline the company's operational structure.

Despite various speculations, Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi emphasized in an internal memo that the move is aimed at maximizing team efficiency. A spokesperson also added that the proportion of those laid off accounts for less than 1% of the company's total of 34,000 employees.

Urgently Stresses No AI Replacement, Just Structural Streamlining

In response to external doubts about artificial intelligence automation causing job losses, Uber officially stated that this round of layoffs has nothing to do with AI. Hazelbaker pointed out that some parts of the human resources sector have become overly complex and their functions are scattered, even seriously disconnected from the business lines they serve.

Company management believes that overlapping responsibilities and unclear ownership have severely hindered the pace of corporate development. Therefore, the fundamental purpose of this streamlining and layoff is to create a new organizational system with stronger collaboration, higher modernization, and better operational performance.

AI Tools Limited, AI Budget Unexpectedly Overspent

Although the company has made every effort to separate the layoffs from technology, Uber's investment in artificial intelligence has indeed raised red flags. According to internal information, due to frequent use by employees, the company has completely exhausted its entire 2026 AI project budget within just four months.