monday.com уволила 630 человек ради ИИ-стратегии, хотя выручка выросла на 24%

monday.com, the developer of the eponymous task tracker, announced in late July 2026 a reduction of 20% of its workforce — approximately 630 people. In an official filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company cited the reason as a transition to an "AI-driven growth strategy," even though revenue for the first quarter grew 24%, reaching $351 million.

What exactly happened at monday.com

monday.com laid off approximately 630 employees — one in every five at the company. In the SEC filing, the official reason was framed as a transition to a "leaner and more focused operating model" as part of an "AI-driven growth strategy."

Key facts from the company's public documents:

• Layoffs: ~630 people, 20% of staff
• Q1 2026 revenue: $351M (+24% year-over-year)
• Full-year 2026 forecast: 19–20% revenue growth
• Official rationale: "AI-driven growth strategy" (from SEC filing)
• Ranking on TechCrunch list: 21st major tech company in 2026 to cite AI as a factor in layoffs

"A leaner and more focused operating model" — this is the exact

wording used in monday.com's official SEC filing to justify the layoffs.

Why investors see a contradiction

Investors grew wary because monday.com's financial indicators provide no obvious grounds for emergency restructuring. Revenue for Q1 2026 grew 24% to $351 million, with a full-year forecast of another 19–20% growth. In these circumstances, cutting 20% of staff looks less like a forced measure and more like a management decision, one that the AI narrative conveniently packages.

The economic logic is straightforward: 630 employees represent annual savings of tens of millions of dollars in salaries and benefits. Citing AI transformation reduces the reputational cost of such a decision, since it reads as a strategic choice rather than a cost-cutting measure.

21 companies in seven months — already a trend

monday.com became the 21st major tech company in 2026 to publicly cite AI as a factor in its layoff decision — according to TechCrunch, which has maintained a dedicated list since the start of the year. Notably, many companies on this list reported acceptable or positive financial results at the time their layoffs were announced.

The pattern of language repeats: "AI transformation," "reallocation of resources toward automation," "investment in AI infrastructure." So frequently, in fact, that a number of analysts have begun treating "the reason is AI" as convenient corporate rhetoric rather than an honest explanation of structural changes.

What this means

AI is becoming a dual narrative in corporate communications: simultaneously a genuine tool for labor optimization and a convenient cover for decisions driven by financial discipline. For technology professionals, this is a signal that positions may be at risk even at growing companies — if automation and priority reassessment coincide with a favorable market context.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is monday.com laying off people while revenue is growing?

The company explained the layoffs as a transition to an "AI-driven growth strategy," according to the official SEC filing. Despite revenue growth of 24% in Q1 2026 to $351 million, monday.com is restructuring and reducing its workforce by 20% — approximately 630 people.

How many companies cited AI in layoffs in 2026?

According to TechCrunch, by the end of July 2026, at least 21 major tech companies had officially cited AI as a factor in their workforce reduction decisions.