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CEO says: SUSE cuts about 10% of staff as AI changes software work
In short
- SUSE told staff it is cutting about 10% of its roughly 1,900-person global workforce.
- The CEO named automation and AI as the shift behind the change.
- Software workers should show they can use AI tools to deliver more, not just code.
Who: Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen, CEO of SUSE, the European open-source software company, in an internal email to staff on 2 November 2026, reported by The Register.
What they said: "What is clear is that automation and AI are fundamentally shifting how software companies operate."
Context: In the same memo, SUSE announced a reduction of its global workforce of approximately 10 percent, out of about 1,900 employees. Affected staff were to be told by 4 November, and the company said it would share its fiscal 2027 strategy on 16 November. It is one of a growing number of software companies naming AI directly as a reason for restructuring.
What it means for you:
- If you work in software, especially in support, operations or engineering roles with repeatable tasks, expect employers to ask how you use AI tools to get more done.
- Show this on your CV with a concrete example: what you automated, and what it saved.
- If your employer announces a strategy update, read it closely: it often signals which teams will grow and which will shrink.
Source: The Register, 2 November 2026