Arvind Krishna leads IBM shift: Job cuts continue; hiring grows in AI roles

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is now investing more in AI and hybrid cloud services. This shift has been led by Arvind Krishna. A major step in this direction was the 2019 acquisition of Red Hat. This deal helped IBM strengthen its position in cloud computing. It also allowed the company to compete with firms like Microsoft and Google. The company has seen some benefits from this strategy. Its stock performance improved in recent years. However, the shift has also led to internal changes.

IBM has a large global workforce. As of December 2025, the company had about 286,800 employees, which was slightly lower than the previous year, showing a decline of around 2%. The company operates in more than 170 countries, with its headquarters in Armonk, New York. It also has major offices in cities like New York City, Austin, Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Montreal, and Munich.

IBM has reduced jobs as part of its restructuring. In late 2025, the company said it would cut a small percentage of its global workforce. Earlier, in 2023, around 1,900 jobs were cut during the spinoff of its Kyndryl business. The company says such job cuts are part of regular business changes as it aims to improve efficiency and focus on future technologies.

At the same time, IBM is increasing hiring in key areas. The company plans to hire more entry-level employees in the US. Many of these roles will focus on customer engagement and AI management.