German AI translation startup DeepL to axe 250 staff

DeepL, the German AI translation startup, is cutting around 250 jobs, about a quarter of its headcount, saying it was moving to smaller teams so it is able to compete amid rapid AI advancements, its CEO said today. Posting on LinkedIn, Jarek Kutylowksi, CEO and founder, said the cuts at DeepL, which employs over 1,000 people globally, were a “deliberate structural choice about how DeepL needs to operate to remain a global AI leader”. He added: "The pace of AI has accelerated far beyond what was possible even just a year ago, changing what it means to operate effectively - including for a company like ours. "We are currently living through a massive structural shift in what work exists, who does it, and how many people it takes to do it well, and that shift is because of AI.” The Cologne-based AI translation startup, founded in 2017 and last valued at $2bn in 2024, is known for its AI text translation and writing tools. Kutylowksi said he and his management team had been reviewing how DeepL could best operate as a global AI firm amid fast improvements in AI. He added: "In practice, this means transforming how DeepL works from the inside out, with AI embedded into every layer of how we operate. "We are moving to smaller high-agency teams where AI handles the routine, so people can focus on what only humans can bring, like using our intuition, coming up with new creative ideas and seeing projects through from start to finish. "AI systems will allow us to put more energy into the work that actually matters and move at a speed we haven’t seen before, leaving behind recurring roadblocks and day-to-day inefficiencies." The CEO did not say which specific areas of the business would be impacted by the cuts.