Willis Towers Watson (WTW) layoffs and AI

WTW, Form 10-Q for the second quarter of 2026 (filed 30 July 2026): "On July 28, 2026, the Board of Directors of WTW approved and authorized management to execute Propel, an artificial intelligence (‘AI’) acceleration plan (the ‘Plan’). The Plan is a two-year program to embed AI and automation across the enterprise." ... "Approximately $625 million of cash costs are expected to be incurred as well as approximately $25 million in non-cash charges through the end of 2028 in connection with the Plan, consisting principally of process automation and organizational transition costs, including process and organizational design costs, severance and separation-related costs and temporary retention costs, as well as costs associated with implementing AI systems and related technologies"; risk factors: "Among other things, the implementation of the Plan, as well as our regular ongoing transformation or cost reduction activities (including in connection with the integration of acquired businesses), may reduce or restructure some roles". Chief executive Carl Hess, on the second-quarter call (30 July 2026, as Business Insurance quotes him): "It’s true that we’ll probably, as we automate less complex and high-volume work, see some headcount reductions that go along with that," ... "But we view a central element of Propel as reskilling and redeployments … moving capacity toward the client-facing and judgment-based work that’s going to drive our growth." Chief financial officer Andrew Krasner, on the third-quarter call (29 October 2026): "The foundational work will come first, and then we'll manage savings through both reskilling and other actions, and those take time."

WTW (Willis Towers Watson), the advisory and insurance broking firm with about 48,100 staff, announced Propel, a plan to embed AI and automation across the firm by the end of 2028, with its second-quarter results on 30 July 2026, budgeting about $625 million of cash costs, which its filing says include severance and separation costs, for about $400 million of yearly savings. Chief executive Carl Hess said on the results call that the firm will probably see some headcount reductions as it automates less complex, high-volume work, but that reskilling and redeploying staff toward client-facing work is central to the plan, and its filings say the plan, together with its regular cost reduction and the integration of acquired businesses, may reduce or restructure some roles. WTW has announced no job cuts and given no number of roles, and the only restructuring charge under the plan by 30 September 2026, $14 million, was an asset impairment rather than severance. This is recorded as a statement about the firm's future workforce, and nothing is counted.

Roles the sources name:

No roles cut yet (a plan: some headcount reductions expected as less complex, high-volume work is automated, per chief executive Carl Hess)

Where:

Global (Ireland-domiciled)