Dow says it will cut 4,500 jobs, shifting emphasis to artificial intelligence and automation

Dow on Thursday said it is planning to cut approximately 4,500 jobs as the chemicals maker shifts its emphasis toward artificial intelligence and automation.

The company anticipates incurring severance costs of about $600 million to $800 million, in addition to $500 million to $700 million in other one-time costs.

Dow marks the latest corporation to announce significant job cuts, with Amazon on Wednesday saying it’s cutting 16,000 jobs as part of an effort to cut bureaucracy. United Parcel Service said on Tuesday that it plans to cut up to 30,000 operational jobs this year.

And like Dow, Pinterest said this week that it was cutting jobs — reducing 15% of its staff — partially due to increased reliance on AI. 

Americans are feeling increasingly anxious about the odds of finding a job, or getting a better one. Economists have said that businesses are largely at a “no-hire, no fire” standstill. Hiring has stagnated overall — with the country adding a meager 50,000 jobs last month, down from a revised figure of 56,000 in November.

Shares of Dow Inc., which has about 34,600 employees globally, fell 2% before the market opened. Dow is based in Midland, Michigan.

In January 2025 Dow executives said the company was seeking $1 billion in cost savings and anticipated cutting about 1,500 jobs worldwide. In July, it announced the closings of three European plants that would eliminate 800 jobs.

Rising operational costs have accompanied layoffs in some sectors, and business leaders cite rising costs, including those from President Trump’s tariffs, as well as shifts in spending.

Consumer expectations for the U.S. economy has plummeted to its lowest level since 2014. That is occurring as some businesses reduce their workforces as they redirect money toward artificial intelligence, often baked into wider corporate restructuring.