Thousands of Jobs on the Chopping Block as Aussie Tech Giant WiseTech Embarks on AI Overhaul
- WiseTech Global to cut around 2,000 jobs globally, with Australian staff bearing the brunt of the redundancies
- Security guards patrol offices, escorting workers to their cars as news of job cuts spreads
- Company’s shift towards artificial intelligence sparks fears of widespread job losses across the industry
The WiseTech Global office in Alexandria was a scene of high tension on Wednesday as the company announced plans to axe around 2,000 jobs globally, with Australian staff among those most affected. The news sent shockwaves through the tech industry, with workers at the company’s office being escorted to their cars by burly security guards.
As the news broke, workers at the office were tight-lipped, with some saying they had been kept in the dark about the redundancies. “We don’t know anything. We’ll find out later today, there’s a meeting scheduled for 3pm,” one worker said. Another worker simply replied, “I’m not allowed to talk.”
The company’s chief executive, Zubin Appoo, announced the redundancies as part of a major overhaul of the business, which will see a significant shift towards artificial intelligence. The move is expected to affect around 29% of staff across 40 countries, with some teams facing cuts of up to half. The exact number of Australian jobs affected remains unclear.
The redundancies will hit product avelnd deopment, as well as customer service roles, as the company rolls out AI across its software platforms and internal operations. WiseTech employed more than 3,600 people worldwide as of June 30, 2025, and the job cuts are expected to be felt across the globe.
Appoo said the shift towards AI was necessary to stay ahead of the curve, citing the “most significant shift in decades” in software development. “I am prepared to say this clearly: The era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over,” he said. “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.”
The news sent WiseTech’s share price soaring 11% on Wednesday, but the company’s long-term prospects remain uncertain. The tech industry is facing a period of significant disruption, with fears that AI could erode pricing power and make products easier to replicate.
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The WiseTech job cuts are just the latest in a string of redundancies across the industry, with Commonwealth Bank also announcing plans to cut 300 roles as it rolls out a $90 million plan for an AI-ready workforce. The move is a stark reminder of the need for Australian businesses to adapt to the changing landscape of AI.
As UNSW Scientia Professor Toby Walsh warned in a recent speech, Australia has a generational opportunity to make the most of AI, but must also mitigate the risks. “In hindsight, the title should not be boom or doom, but boom AND doom,” Prof Walsh said. “Because my childhood dreams are turning into a reality that is both good and bad.”
Security analysts say the widespread adoption of AI poses significant challenges for Australian businesses, particularly in the tech sector. “The shift towards AI is happening rapidly, and companies need to be prepared to adapt or risk being left behind,” one analyst said.
Industry observers believe the WiseTech job cuts are just the tip of the iceberg, with many more redundancies expected across the industry in the coming months. “This is a wake-up call for Australian businesses to get serious about AI and its implications,” one observer said.
As the tech industry continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the jobs of the future will look very different from those of today. And for thousands of WiseTech workers, that future is already here.