San Jose, August 21: Cisco Systems has laid off 157 employees, just days after CEO Chuck Robbins said that the company would not cut jobs to make way for AI. The latest round of Cisco layoffs has reportedly sparked legal scrutiny under US labour laws. It was already anticipated that the tech giant would eliminate over 150 positions soon; however, it was unexpected to see it initiate the process the next day.

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins recently made a public statement that he would not use artificial intelligence to lay off employees. During an interview with CNBC, he said he wanted Cisco's engineers to innovate faster and become more productive, which would give Cisco a competitive advantage. IgniteTech Layoffs: CEO Eric Vaughan Lays Off 80% of Company’s Workforce and Replaces Employees With AI; Check Reason.

Cisco Layoffs Announced in California; Here's Everything to Know

The newly announced round of Cisco layoffs is set to affect 157 employees at various sites. However, according to a report by People Matters, it will be concentrated at the Milpitas campus. Cisco Systems will further eliminate 64 jobs in San Francisco. The report said the layoffs would affect the staff at Cisco's former Redwood City headquarters and those working at Pleasanton. 

The report mentioned that the latest round of Cisco layoffs would eliminate jobs from junior employees to senior-level management roles. It highlighted that the roles of vice presidents (VPs) would also be affected. Surprisingly, the job cuts were announced at the same time that Cisco Systems' CEO stated last week that the company would not reduce its workforce due to AI.

According to the report, the new layoffs may be tried in court. Previously, Cisco CTO Scott Herren mentioned that the jobs were cut due to AI adoption. He called it a relocation vs head-saving exercise. Last year, Cisco laid off 7% employees from its workforce around August, and in February 2024, it had reduced 5% headcount. Tech Layoffs in 2025: 80,945 Employees Laid Off in Technology Sector This Year by 179 Companies; Check Job Cuts Announced in July and August.

Strauss Borrelli, a Chicago-based firm, said Cisco had complied with the WARN Act and provided employees with 60 days' notice, along with severance and other benefits. Cisco had reportedly informed the staff about the layoffs on August 13, 2025, and it will likely implement the decision around mid-October this year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2025 04:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).