German translation website DeepL cuts 25 per cent of its workforce

Published: 2026-05-07 16:01:18 ET MSFT

Published on 05/07/2026 at 04:01 pm EDT

Key takeaways

German start-up DeepL is preparing to shrink its workforce by around 25 percent. According to CEO Jarek Kutylowski, that decision stems from a major restructuring driven by developments in AI. Around 250 employees will be affected by the cuts, pending legal procedures. Kutylowski explained on LinkedIn that the company’s adaptation to AI requires a streamlined structure with faster decision-making and less bureaucracy.

Job losses elsewhere in the tech sector too

The staff cuts at DeepL are part of a broader trend in the technology sector, where AI tools are automating tasks that were previously performed by programmers. Many companies are reallocating their resources to develop their own AI products.

Meta Platforms recently announced plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce, while Microsoft is offering redundancy packages to around 7 percent of its US employees.

DeepL’s competition

Founded in 2017 as a rival to Google Translate, DeepL is based in Cologne and offers tools that enable developers to build multilingual applications. The company is now facing increasing competition from translation services provided by AI tools such as ChatGPT. In 2024, DeepL raised 300 million dollars (255 million euros) in funding at a valuation of 2 billion dollars (1.7 billion euros) and has considered a US stock market listing. (fc)

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