Key Highlights
- General Motors eliminated approximately 600 information technology positions, representing over 10% of its IT division
- The workforce reduction represents a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence capabilities rather than simple cost-cutting
- Shares of GM declined 4.45% to close at $75.29 on May 11
- The Detroit automaker is actively recruiting for AI development, data engineering, and machine learning positions
- Multiple rounds of white-collar reductions have occurred across various departments throughout the last year and a half
Shares of General Motors fell 4.45% to close at $75.29 on May 11 following confirmation that the automaker had eliminated approximately 600 salaried information technology positions — representing more than one-tenth of its IT division.
Bloomberg initially broke the story, which GM subsequently confirmed to TechCrunch.
The company positioned the decision as a strategic reorganization of its technology infrastructure. “GM is transforming its Information Technology organization to better position the company for the future,” the automaker stated officially.
These cuts don’t represent a simple downsizing initiative. According to sources with knowledge of the situation who spoke to TechCrunch, the company is simultaneously pursuing aggressive recruitment — targeting entirely different expertise.
The positions General Motors is now seeking to fill emphasize AI-native software development, advanced data engineering, cloud infrastructure engineering, machine learning model creation, AI agent development, prompt engineering expertise, and emerging AI operational frameworks.
Essentially, the automaker is searching for professionals capable of architecting AI systems from the foundation up — not merely employees who utilize AI tools for routine productivity enhancement.
Ongoing Organizational Restructuring
This represents the latest in a series of white-collar workforce adjustments at GM. Back in August 2024, approximately 1,000 software development employees were let go as the company streamlined its project portfolio to emphasize strategic priorities.
Throughout the preceding 18 months, the automotive giant has systematically reduced personnel across numerous divisions while reallocating capital and resources toward artificial intelligence initiatives and advanced software capabilities.
The transformation accelerated considerably within GM’s technology operations following Sterling Anderson’s appointment as chief product officer in May 2025. Anderson, who co-founded the autonomous trucking company Aurora, brings extensive experience from the self-driving vehicle sector.
He moved rapidly to unify GM’s previously siloed technology operations under a single organizational structure. That consolidation resulted in several high-profile departures. Last November, three senior technology leaders exited the organization.
Those departures included Baris Cetinok, who served as senior vice president of software and services product management, Dave Richardson, senior vice president overseeing software and services engineering, and Barak Turovsky, who had been with the company for only nine months in his role as chief AI officer.
Strategic Talent Acquisitions
General Motors has been systematically filling leadership vacancies with specialized artificial intelligence talent.
In October, the company recruited Behrad Toghi — formerly with Apple — to serve as its AI lead.
Additionally, GM brought on Rashed Haq as vice president of autonomous vehicles. Haq spent half a decade at Cruise, the self-driving unit owned by GM that was subsequently discontinued, where he led AI and robotics operations.
The strategic direction is unmistakable: General Motors isn’t attempting incremental improvements to its current structure. Instead, it’s fundamentally reconstructing critical segments of its technology organization with artificial intelligence as the core foundation.
GM shares finished trading at $75.29 on May 11, representing a decline of $3.51 for the session, with extended-hours activity indicating an additional modest drop to $75.06.
