Electric-truck maker Rivian is laying off another 600 people, or about 4.5% of its workforce, as the global demand for electric vehicles decreases, The Wall Street Journal reported. This follows a previous round of layoffs in 2024.

Rivian is among several technology and media companies that have seen layoffs in October, including Meta, Paycom, Charter, NBC News, and The Wall Street Journal.

Unfortunately, October 2025 is no outlier. From technology companies to media conglomerates, the layoffs are part of a trend in both the U.S. and Europe as companies start to slash staff and downsize.

Some are blaming artificial intelligence (AI), though critics say it’s just an excuse for companies to trim staff. The layoffs could also be a way to hedge against the current economic uncertainty triggered by inflation, tariffs, the skyrocketing cost of living, and now an ongoing federal government shutdown.

Below are some of the tech and media companies that have been laying off workers since the beginning of the month. Fast Company has reached out to all of the companies listed below for comment.

Rivian

On Thursday, there was news that Rivian was laying off about 4.5% of its workforce, after a previous smaller layoff affecting some 1.5% of the company last month. Rivian, like many EV manufacturers, is expected to see EV sales decline in the wake of the Trump administration’s decision to end a hefty federal tax credit for EV purchases. Rivian is also planning to launch a new vehicle in 2026, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Meta

On Wednesday, Meta—the owner of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger, and WhatsApp—said it is laying off about 600 employees from Alexandr Wang’s new “superintelligence” research lab, after hiring the 25-year-old wunderkind and investing $14.3 billion in his company, Scale AI, in June. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the social technology company plans to invest between $60 billion and $65 billion in AI capital expenditures in 2025 alone.

Paycom

Earlier this month, Oklahoma City-based payroll and human resources software company Paycom laid off more than 500 employees, citing “workforce restructuring due to efficiencies in advanced automation and AI-driven technologies that will impact a limited number of back-office roles.”

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