‘It was a bloodbath’: S.F. startup Webflow announces abrupt round of layoffs - San Francisco Chronicle

Employees described the event as a 'bloodbath,' according to the San Francisco Chronicle. CEO Linda Tong attributed the restructuring to the increasing role of artificial intelligence tools in transforming website development, effectively eliminating the need for certain roles.

The layoffs were reportedly sudden, with employees given minimal advance notice. The company did not publicly disclose the exact number of positions affected, but sources described the cuts as substantial. Webflow's shift reflects a broader trend among tech companies that are restructuring to integrate AI capabilities, often at the expense of human labor. The announcement comes amid a wave of similar reductions across the industry, driven by both economic pressure and technological change.

The move follows a pattern of workforce reductions in the tech sector, where companies are reallocating resources toward AI development. Webflow's case is notable because the company explicitly cited AI as the catalyst, rather than broader market conditions. The layoffs add to growing concerns about job displacement in the technology industry as AI tools become more capable of performing tasks previously done by humans.