IBM China Revokes Access for Over 1,000 R&D Employees Amid AI Strategy Shift and Layoffs
IBM China abruptly removed access for more than a thousand research and testing staff, signaling a sudden, large‑scale layoff that coincides with the company's aggressive push into generative AI, cloud services, and a broader global restructuring effort.
IBM China abruptly revoked system access for over 1,000 R&D and testing employees, removing them from internal work groups and blocking intranet login while still allowing email access, all without prior warning.
The move is linked to rumors of a major layoff targeting research positions; affected staff were surprised to find themselves excluded from company resources even as they continued to work on-site.
At the same time, IBM has been emphasizing its AI ambitions in China, hosting an enterprise‑level AI forum, reporting roughly $1 billion in AI‑related revenue, and launching the generative AI and data platform watsonx to accelerate AI adoption.
Globally, IBM has conducted several rounds of layoffs, announced in 2023 that up to 8,000 jobs could be replaced by AI, and is refocusing on enterprise AI, automotive solutions, and ecosystem partnerships as part of its long‑term strategy.
Analysts view the sudden access revocation as part of a broader trend of foreign tech firms scaling back operations in China, similar to recent actions by Microsoft and other multinationals, reflecting geopolitical pressures and shifting market dynamics.
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