BMW will cut a fifth of its divisions and management roles by mid-2027, and ties the leaner structure to AI

In the employer's own words: set out by the company in a press release at its capital markets day. This cut has not happened yet and is not counted in the verified job-loss totals. At its Capital Market Day on 30 September 2026, BMW said it will reduce the number of divisions and the management roles attached to them by 20 percent by the middle of next year, with a comparable reduction at the organisational levels below. The company's own release gives the reasoning in the sentences before: through the efficient use of artificial intelligence it aims to make every department and corporate level more agile and effective, and that, it says, calls for significantly leaner management structures and a reorganisation of the divisions. Finance chief Walter Mertl said consistent use of agentic AI applications across all areas of the company will be a game-changer for leaner structures and faster decision-making. BMW put no headcount on the management cut. It sits on top of a voluntary severance programme agreed with the works council in July. The deadline is the middle of 2027, so the roles have not gone yet.