At 6 a.m. EST on Tuesday, thousands of employees at Oracle woke up to find their jobs had already ended.

An email, signed only “Oracle Leadership,” informed workers that their roles had been eliminated effective immediately. There was no prior warning from managers or human resources. Within hours, access to company systems, including email and internal files, was cut off, while severance details were promised via DocuSign.

“We are sharing some difficult news regarding your position,” the message read. “After careful consideration of Oracle’s current business needs, we have made the decision to eliminate your role as part of a broader organizational change. As a result, today is your last working day.”

Employees were instructed to provide personal email addresses to receive separation documents. Unvested stock grants were forfeited immediately.

The impact of the cuts on Oracle’s operations in Israel remains unclear. The company employs roughly 500 people in the country, but it has not indicated whether or how those roles will be affected.

The scale of the layoffs is significant.

Between 20,000 and 30,000 employees, roughly 18% of Oracle’s global workforce of 162,000, are believed to be affected. The hardest-hit divisions include Revenue and Health Sciences and SaaS operations, each reportedly losing around 30% of staff.

The layoffs come as Oracle embarks on an aggressive and costly push into artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company has taken on $58 billion in new debt over just two months, while directing substantial investment toward AI-focused data centers. The job cuts are expected to free up between $8 billion and $10 billion in cash flow.

The financial backdrop is mixed. Oracle reported a 95% jump in net income last quarter, reaching $6.13 billion. Yet its stock has fallen more than half from its peak in September 2025, reflecting investor unease even as profits rise.

Regulatory filings offer only a partial view of the restructuring. In Washington state, Oracle said it would lay off 491 employees, both remote workers and staff at its Seattle offices, effective June 1, according to a notice filed under the WARN Act, which typically requires 60 days’ advance notice. The company described the cuts as part of a broader “reduction in force and other terminations,” while noting that its Seattle sites would remain open.

Oracle has declined to comment publicly on the broader scale of the layoffs, even as reports from employees circulate on social media platforms including Reddit, X and LinkedIn.