Linux company SUSE to cut about 1 in 10 jobs, blaming AI and automation
The CEO's memo says AI tools have reduced the need for some roles, The Register reports.
SUSE, a European company that sells a business version of the free Linux operating system, plans to cut about 10% of its workers worldwide and says AI is a major reason, according to an internal memo reported Monday by the British tech site The Register.
SUSE has about 1,900 employees, the report said, meaning roughly 190 jobs.
What the CEO said
In the memo, CEO Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen wrote that AI tools are already letting teams work faster with fewer managers, The Register reported.
The requirement for some existing roles has greatly diminished.
The memo did not say which jobs or locations would be affected. Workers losing their jobs will be told by Nov. 4, The Register reported.
Who is SUSE
SUSE was founded in Germany in 1992. Linux is free, open-source software that runs most of the world's web servers and cloud computers. Companies pay SUSE, like rival Red Hat, for tested versions, security fixes and support. Swedish investment firm EQT bought SUSE in 2018 for $2.5 billion and took it private again in 2023, The Register said.
Why it matters
SUSE joins a growing list of tech companies that say AI is changing how many people they need. Software support and operations jobs, where AI can now handle routine tasks, appear especially exposed. For Bay Area tech workers, it is another sign that companies are using AI to justify smaller teams, not just to add new products.
Source: The Register, Nov. 2, 2026.