WiseTech Global to cut 2,000 jobs as AI transforms software development and ends manual coding

WiseTech to Cut 2,000 Jobs as AI Ends Era of Manual Coding

WiseTech Global Ltd. plans to cut about 2,000 jobs under an AI-driven revamp, crystallizing efficiencies from artificial intelligence that are upending the global software industry. "I am prepared to say this clearly: the era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over," Chief Executive Officer Zubin Appoo said in a statement. AI is enabling "significantly more automation" and "unlocking levels of efficiency gains across WiseTech that were previously out of reach." WiseTech stock has slumped 37% this year alone, hammered by concerns that artificial intelligence will make the company's freight-software redundant. Appoo countered those fears on Wednesday, saying AI was allowing WiseTech to offer more value, and to embed its products deeper into customer's operations. The job cuts will be made this fiscal year, and next, the company said. Underlying net profit climbed 2% to A$114.5 million ($81 million) in the six months ended Dec. 31, WiseTech said. Before the so-called AI scare trade smashed WiseTech, the company also endured a tumultuous period of allegations, first raised in late 2024, about the conduct of then-CEO and founder Richard White. Appoo was named CEO in July last year partly to address investors' governance concerns. White is now WiseTech's chairman.

Australia's WiseTech Global plans 2,000 job cuts amid AI-led revamp

Feb 25 (Reuters) - Australian logistics software firm WiseTech Global (WTC.AX), opens new tab said on Wednesday it would lay off about 2,000 people over the next two years as it adopts artificial intelligence across its software and internal operations. The layoffs would affect around 29% of WiseTech's global workforce across 40 countries, and could reduce some teams to half, starting with product and development, and customer service roles across the organisation. Shares of the software firm jumped 10.7% in early trading to A$47.60 per share. "Software development has experienced its most significant shift in decades," Chief Executive Officer Zubin Appoo said, while announcing a marginal 2% increase in first-half underlying profit. "The era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over." One of the divisions affected will be the recently acquired U.S. cloud computing firm, E2open, which may see a reduction of up to 50%. Investors have shunned WiseTech stock since late 2024. Its shares are down 70% since hitting a record-high in November 2024, after founder and former CEO Richard White was accused of making payments to an alleged former lover, among others. Reporting by Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Shinjini Ganguli Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

WiseTech drops Australia's first AI jobs bomb

Rapid, large-scale deployment of artificial intelligence is happening, with the companies most at risk of disruption leading the charge. It's only a few years since Richard White, the founder and executive chairman of logistics software group WiseTech Global, was a little sceptical about the rush of software companies claiming they were artificial intelligence businesses. But watching your share price plunge almost 60 per cent in six months has a way of focusing the mind. White is now so committed to WiseTech's future as an AI-powered company that he's let his AI agents write a 975-word "credo" that explains their vision for the business and their role.

WiseTech cites AI as it axes 2000 developer and customer service jobs

WiseTech Global is axing up to 2000 jobs and says artificial intelligence has reduced the need to have developers and customer service staff in what the software giant has described as the "most significant shift in decades". The cuts represent almost 30 per cent of the company's headcount, with WiseTech telling investors that the number of staff in some teams would be halved. The first to be cut are development and customer service teams at e2open, a business WiseTech acquired for $3.2 billion last year.

Australia's WiseTech Global plans 2,000 job cuts amid AI overhaul

Australian software logistics firm WiseTech Global on ⁠Wednesday ⁠said it would lay off about 2,000 ⁠people over the next ⁠two years, as it adopts artificial intelligence across its software and internal ⁠operations. Logistics software firm WiseTech Global said on Wednesday it would cut about 2,000 jobs over the next two years, in what could mark one of the largest artificial intelligence-related workforce reductions by an Australian company to date. Shares of the company, which also announced an estimate-beating first-half ⁠profit, ⁠jumped as much as 10.7% in early trading, and were last up about 7% at A$46.01, as of 0022 GMT. WiseTech Global, which makes shipping and logistics management software, said it will integrate AI into its customer software as well as internal operations, affecting around 29% of its global workforce of around 7,000 across 40 countries. "Software development has experienced its most significant shift in decades," Chief Executive Officer Zubin Appoo said. "The era of manually writing ⁠code as the core act of engineering is over." The cuts, among the largest in Australia in percentage terms, could shrink some teams by half, starting with ⁠product and development, and customer service roles across the organisation. One of the divisions affected will be its U.S. cloud computing arm, E2open, acquired in August for $2.1 billion, which may see cuts of up to 50%. E2open had 3,873 full-time employees, as of February 2025, according to its latest 10-K filing. The layoffs highlight how quickly AI is reshaping workplace roles globally, as fast-improving automation tools take over routine administrative work and handle complex coding tasks with increasing speed and precision, driving widespread adoption. Last month, Amazon announced 16,000 job cuts worldwide in a second round of redundancies at the tech giant in three months, adding to a wave of redundancies by US companies across sectors this ⁠year. WiseTech, founded more than three decades ago, reported first-half underlying net profit of $114.5 million, 6% ahead of market consensus, according to Jefferies. It also announced an interim dividend of 6.8 cents and reaffirmed its full-year outlook. Despite the day's surge, WiseTech's shares remain 68% below their November 2024 peak, as allegations surrounding founder and former CEO Richard White, including claims of payments to an alleged former lover, fuelled a sharp investor exodus. Concerns around how AI would affect the software maker have also kept the stock under pressure.

Aussie tech giant slashing 2,000 jobs as it goes all in on AI

An Australian tech giant plans on axing up to 2,000 of its 7,000 global staff over the coming two years as it embraces artificial intelligence. WiseTech Global, owned by Australian billionaire Richard White, on Wednesday told investors the tech company is venturing on with the next phase of its AI-driven "efficiency program" and expects to slash up to 50 per cent of its staff in some areas. "As part of WiseTech's long-term strategic focus on higher-margin recurring revenue, and WiseTech's commitment to building a higher-performance culture, this program will likely result in a reduction of approximately 2,000 roles in FY26 and into FY27," the company told investors. WiseTech's CEO Zubin Appoo said massive shifts were coming to the sector that will radically alter what the workforce looks like. "Software development has experienced its most significant shift in decades," Mr Appoo said. "I am prepared to say this clearly: the era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over. "AI amplifies the productivity of our expertise in logistics and trade, the rich datasets that WiseTech holds, and the network advantage that we have built over 30 years." These sackings will impact almost 30 per cent of WiseTech's workforce and staffers will not be repurposed elsewhere in the company as there will not be a role for them. The cuts will first hit the development and customer service teams at WiseTech's newly acquired e2open business - which it purchased for $3.2b last year. Other major companies are also looking at AI, with some looking to cut roles and others trying to retain them. Commonwealth Bank of Australia wants to embrace AI to bolster productivity while retraining staff for the burgeoning technology. However, US e-commerce giant Amazon sacked 14,000 workers in October and revealed plans to axe another 16,000 in January. WiseTech's announcement comes as the tech giant revealed its total profit shrank 36 per cent in the first half of the 2026 financial year. Revenue lifted 76 per cent to $672m and its underlying profit grew two per cent. Profit from the company's main software product CargoWise lifted 12 per cent to $367.8m. It will deliver investors a US6.8 cents per share dividend, up US0.1c from the previous corresponding period.