Shopee lays off staff globally, S’pore cuts reportedly hit product & engineering teams
Source: Vulcan Post
Shopee has begun laying off hundreds of developers globally, including employees at its Singapore headquarters, as the e-commerce giant pivots toward artificial intelligence — a move that illustrates how AI is reshaping headcount decisions at Southeast Asia's largest tech companies. The cuts affect
Shopee has begun laying off hundreds of developers globally, including employees at its Singapore headquarters, as the e-commerce giant pivots toward artificial intelligence — a move that illustrates how AI is reshaping headcount decisions at Southeast Asia's largest tech companies.
The cuts affect approximately 8% of Shopee's global developer workforce, according to Bloomberg, with product and engineering teams in Singapore among those affected. Severance offered includes one month per year of service plus two additional months. Employees told CNA they were laid off without prior warning.
The restructuring reflects a broader trend across Southeast Asia's tech sector: companies are reallocating resources from general software development to AI-specific roles. Sea Ltd, Shopee's parent company, has been hiring aggressively for AI positions even as it trims its overall developer headcount.
The layoffs come amid rising AI salaries in Singapore, which have climbed five times faster than the broader market. The contrast highlights a two-speed labour market — AI-skilled workers command premiums while traditional development roles face increasing pressure.
Why it matters: Shopee's pivot is a microcosm of what's happening across Singapore's tech sector. AI isn't just creating new jobs — it's reshaping existing ones. For developers in Singapore, the message is clear: deep AI skills are becoming a baseline requirement.