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Business Insider Cuts 21% of Workforce in AI-Driven Overhaul

CEO Barbara Peng says the overhaul will sharpen authoritative reporting through AI-driven systems supported by a new live events model.

Business Insider
FILE: Business Insider laid off about one fifth of its workforce Thursday, a sweeping round of cuts that affected every department and drew swift criticism.
Barbara Peng at the 2025 Gold Gala held at the Music Center on May 10, 2025, in Los Angeles.

Overview

  • The organization will reduce headcount by about 21%, impacting every department and following an 8% cut in January 2024.
  • Peng announced that most of the commerce business will be discontinued, retaining only a few high-performing verticals to shift focus toward sustainable revenue streams.
  • About 70% of employees already use Enterprise ChatGPT, and the company aims for full adoption to power gen-AI search, an AI-driven paywall, and other automated tools.
  • BI Live, a new events platform intended to highlight Business Insider’s journalism and deepen reader engagement, will launch as part of the restructure.
  • The Insider Union and The NewsGuild of New York condemned the wave of layoffs as a profit-driven retreat from journalism, while Axel Springer says its U.S. outlets Politico and Morning Brew will not face similar cuts.