A business pivot comes with costs, and AP News’ shift to “visual” journalism over newspaper-focused reporting is expected to cost many journalists their jobs. The Associated Press, one of the most renowned names in journalism, is set to restructure its workforce to prepare the business for a new era of reporting this year. According to reports, AP is offering buyouts to its U.S.-based journalists in 2026, starting with voluntary exits before contemplating layoffs.
AP’s newsroom cuts are unfortunate, but they are expected to help the company align with an evolution in its identity that has already occurred over the last few years, which should be solidified through these active changes to operations. “We’re not a newspaper company and we haven’t been for quite some time,” Julie Pace, the Executive Editor and Senior Vice President of AP, was reported saying by the publication.
AP has offered buyouts to its US-based journalists in 2026, all to dial down its newspaper-focused operations in favor of other journalistic avenues. (Image: Freepik)
AP Is Offering U.S.-Based Journalists Buyouts in 2026 Amidst a Noteworthy Business Pivot
AP’s 2026 buyouts are currently being offered to an undisclosed number of U.S.-based journalists at the organization, but it manages a large international workforce that could also see changes in time. The agency has not revealed how much of its headcount it plans to cut, but reports suggest that around 5% of its global staff numbers will be affected by the change. Due to limited information regarding the total number of workers employed at AP, it is hard to estimate just how many jobs will be affected as a result, but third-party estimates suggest the organization employs over 3,000 employees.
The News Media Guild, a union that represents journalists from the organization, revealed that over 120 of the staff they are associated with have received the buyout offer so far. Details of the buyout package or the deadline by which employees can make their decision have not been publicly shared.
Why Is AP Making Newsroom Cuts?
As for the reasoning behind the AP job cuts, Pace provided reassurances that the business was “not in trouble,” and maintained a strong position in its industry. She also added that its audiences and revenue were not shrinking, but only coming in from different locations. The media house has reportedly seen its revenue from newspaper companies decline to account for only 10% of its earnings.
Major reporting agencies have ceased to license content from the organization, however, AP has seen success in other areas. The organization reportedly saw 200% growth in revenue from technology companies in the last four years, and is expected to shift to more video-focused investments. AP’s success with managing and analyzing U.S. election data has also brought considerable attention to the company, with its role in prediction markets appearing to be more expansive than expected.
Reuters also previously reported that AP was one of the first news organizations to agree to work with AI giant OpenAI, licensing part of its archive of news stories for the organization to use. AP was also the first news publisher to strike a deal with Google in connection to the AI Gemini tool, and AP has similarly made other licensing deals to keep the business at the forefront of the conversation around this budding technology.
What Are People Saying About the AP Restructuring Plans for 2026
While it is reassuring to see a business be upfront about its reasoning for resorting to staff cuts in an era where AI takes the fall more often than not, there have been some allegations linking the news agency’s interest in artificial intelligence with the cuts. “AP gave the union a few minutes’ notice before managers pushed the send button on the staff email,” the union said in a statement shared on Twitter/X.
“The AP employs hundreds of talented journalists who are willing and able to adjust to the changing media landscape. However, the company refuses to offer them appropriate training and tools. Instead, AP continues to get rid of experienced staff and flirt with artificial intelligence — ignoring the opportunity to differentiate AP news stories as ones that are and always will be created by human journalists,” the statement continued.
The union also added that when attempts were made to bargain over AI just last week, the publication merely told the staff that big changes were underway, failing to provide workers with a clear picture about its future plans.
Workforce Changes in the Journalism Industry Are Also Rising as Businesses Try to Find Their Place
The Associated Press may not have resorted to layoffs just yet, but based on the reception to its buyout offers over the next few days, we could see additional cuts in 2026. This isn’t the only case of disruption we’ve seen in the journalism space. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has announced that it is shutting down its operations on May 3, blaming a prolonged union battle for unsustainable operating costs. Layoffs at CBS News have also been reported and workers recently staged a 24-hour walkout over incomplete contract negotiations.
Earlier this year, The Washington Post cut over 300 jobs in its local, international, and sports reporting teams as part of a “strategic reset” to improve the organization’s positioning and improve its readership numbers overall. The last major report of layoffs at the Associated Press dates back to November 2024, when the agency let go of 8% of its staff over a desire to modernize its operations. Buyouts were similarly used to allow a section of eligible staff members the opportunity to choose separation on their own terms.
These cuts and layoffs are part of a much larger global trend, where businesses across industries are narrowing their numbers to hit the reset button on their operations and reorient themselves towards the future.
Have insights to share on the AP buyouts being offered in 2026? Share them with us in the comments or write to us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.
