Pinterest CEO Fires Employees Who Created Tool To Track Layoffs, Citing 'Obstructionist' Behavior: Report

By Namrata Sen | February 04, 2026, 5:40 AM

CEO Defends Firings Over Layoff Tool

Ready reprimanded the employees who created the tool during a company-wide meeting last week, CNBC reported on Tuesday. He emphasized the importance of constructive debate but criticized behavior that he deemed “obstructionist.” The CEO then proceeded to dismiss the involved engineers.

At a follow-up meeting, Pinterest's chief technology officer discussed the layoffs, which led employees to ask which teams were impacted and whether more cuts were planned. Soon after, a group of engineers built an internal tool to track the scale of the layoffs, and they were dismissed on Friday.

Ready defended these actions at an all-hands meeting, citing a “critical moment” in the industry. He suggested that employees who oppose the company’s direction should consider seeking employment elsewhere.

The CEO said Pinterest would not disclose detailed layoff information due to privacy concerns for its staff and that more details would be communicated at the team level.

Pinterest Restructures Amid AI Push

Pinterest’s recent workforce reduction is part of a restructuring plan that would lead to a reduction in its workforce by less than 15% and a decrease in office space amid a broader AI push. The company also announced plans to enter connected TV performance advertising and agreed to acquire tvScientific to integrate its AI-driven, outcome-based CTV platform into its performance ads business.

Pinterest posted weak Q3 sales in November, prompting analysts to cut forecasts, but CEO Ready said investments in AI and product innovation are paying off, repositioning the platform as an AI-powered shopping assistant for its 600 million users. Additionally, the company has introduced automated tools for marketers to better compete with ad giants Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) and Alphabet Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google.

Pinterest also appointed former Meta executive Damian Kim as vice president of APAC enterprise sales to drive regional growth.

Benzinga’s Edge Rankings place Pinterest in the 95th percentile for growth and the 66th percentile for value, reflecting its strong performance. Benzinga's screener allows you to compare Pinterest's performance with its peers.

Price Action: Over the past year, Pinterest stock declined 37.21%, as per data from Benzinga Pro. On Tuesday, the stock edged 5.59% lower to close at $20.77.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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