500–1,000 Roles Affected as Research Unit Gets Dismantled
Ernst & Young’s Global Delivery Services (GDS) division is undergoing a sweeping transformation, with multiple insiders confirming that the long-standing EY Knowledge unit has effectively been dismantled. The restructuring, driven by EY’s global shift toward AI-powered operations, has resulted in widespread job eliminations, early retirements, and the absorption of teams into newly formed structures.
Estimates from people familiar with the matter suggest that between 500 and 1,000 employees globally may have been impacted across the Knowledge, Insights, and related support functions.
Employees Confirm Large-Scale Impact
A former member of EY Knowledge, who was directly impacted, described the change as “a major shift happening across the entire Knowledge function.” According to him, layoffs were not limited to a single geography or level but spanned across hubs in India and other GDS locations.
Multiple sources corroborate that the job cuts have been substantial, often occurring quietly and in waves since late 2023.
Entire Teams Restructured or Eliminated
Information from insiders and professional forums indicates:
- Significant portions of the Knowledge team have been dissolved
- Entire sub-teams dealing with research, market intelligence, and client story support have been reduced or absorbed into other functions
- Senior employees nearing retirement were offered early retirement packages, sometimes with financial compensation to facilitate exits
- A mix of voluntary separation incentives and compulsory redundancy notices were used, depending on the region
One insider stated, “Anyone close to retirement age was encouraged to take early retirement. It wasn’t forced, but it was clear the firm wanted to trim senior layers.
A Unit Once Central to EY Operations
For years, GDS Knowledge served as EY’s intellectual backbone, supporting major service lines by:
- Conducting primary and secondary research
- Producing high-end analysis for Advisory, Assurance, Tax, and TAS
- Crafting pitch materials, market scans, and client insights
- Developing industry reports and internal knowledge assets
These teams were instrumental in shaping client conversations, supporting partners, and driving EY’s sectoral positioning.
AI: The Biggest Catalyst
Sources inside the firm point to generative AI as the single largest driver behind the changes. Much of the research work once handled manually, industry analysis, document synthesis, competitive mapping, and trend identification, can now be automated using internal GenAI tools.
A person briefed on the transition said: “EY wants an AI-first model for knowledge. The traditional research-heavy roles are no longer needed at the same scale.”
This shift, combined with EY’s move toward a “super-region” structure, has resulted in duplicated roles being consolidated or eliminated.
Successor Teams Also Hit
When EY Knowledge was dissolved 1–2 years ago, its responsibilities moved to Insights & Sales Excellence and portions of the Clients & Industries (C&I) group. But these teams too have seen reductions.
Employees reported the elimination of roles at:
- Director level
- Senior manager and manager levels
- Sector specialists in C&I
- Research analysts and knowledge managers
This suggests the restructuring is deeper than a rebranding—it is a fundamental redesign.
Not a Disappearance of Knowledge Work, But a Redesign
While many positions have been eliminated, EY continues to retain a smaller, more strategic knowledge capability integrated with digital platforms.
The new model places emphasis on:
- AI-assisted research
- Smaller, specialized insight pods
- Cross-regional shared services
- Higher-value analysis rather than baseline research
One expert familiar with GDS transformations called it “a shift from human-heavy research to AI-augmented insights.”
This restructuring marks one of the most significant changes in EY’s GDS operations in recent years, signaling a new era where knowledge work is increasingly driven not by human researchers but by AI-enabled systems.
