Pinterest to cut under 15% of workforce and reduce offices as it shifts resources to AI

Restructuring plan targets staffing and real estate while redirecting investment toward AI initiatives

Pinterest, the San Francisco-based visual discovery and shopping platform, has announced a global restructuring plan that includes layoffs affecting less than 15% of its workforce and reductions in office space. The company said the changes are intended to support a set of transformation initiatives centered on reallocating resources toward artificial intelligence-focused roles and accelerating changes to its sales and go-to-market approach.

The plan was approved by Pinterest’s board and announced on January 26, 2026. The company stated it expects to complete the restructuring by the end of its third quarter, which ends September 30, 2026, subject to local law and consultation requirements in the jurisdictions where it operates.

Scale of the cuts and expected costs

Pinterest reported having 4,666 full-time employees as of December 31, 2024. A reduction of less than 15% implies several hundred positions could be eliminated globally, though the company has not published a department-by-department breakdown of affected roles or the geographic distribution of the cuts.

The company also projected total pre-tax restructuring charges of approximately $35 million to $45 million, describing the charges as primarily cash-related expenditures. Pinterest said it intends to exclude these restructuring charges from certain non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA.

• Planned workforce reduction: under 15% of employees
• Additional measure: office space reductions
• Estimated pre-tax charges: $35 million to $45 million
• Target completion: by September 30, 2026

How Pinterest describes its AI priorities

In its description of the restructuring, Pinterest said the plan is meant to support transformation initiatives that include reallocating resources to AI-focused roles and teams, prioritizing AI-powered products and capabilities, and accelerating changes to the company’s sales and go-to-market approach. The company also indicated that, while staffing levels are being reduced in the near term, it expects to reinvest in key development areas and strategic opportunities.

Pinterest framed the restructuring as a shift of resources toward AI-focused roles and AI-powered products, alongside changes to its sales and go-to-market approach.

Workforce strategy and Bay Area implications

Pinterest’s headquarters is located at 651 Brannan Street in San Francisco. The company has not specified which offices will be reduced or whether the Bay Area footprint will change as part of the office space reductions. Separately, Pinterest has described its operating model as flexible, with many roles structured for remote work within employees’ country or region, while still emphasizing in-person collaboration at offices.

The restructuring adds to a broader pattern across the technology sector in which companies are adjusting headcount and real estate needs while increasing investment in AI-related product development and automation. For San Francisco, where several major technology employers maintain headquarters or large office footprints, office-space reductions by a public company can have downstream effects on commercial leasing and related services, depending on the scope and timing of any space givebacks.