ASML Offers €20,000 Stock Bonus to Retain Workers as AI Boom Splits Tech Labor Market

The artificial intelligence boom is producing two sharply different labor market outcomes. While Meta, Microsoft, Oracle and Amazon have collectively laid off at least 92,000 workers in the first four months of 2026 largely to reallocate resources toward AI development, semiconductor equipment maker ASML is moving in the opposite direction: it is offering every employee a €20,000 stock bonus to remain with the company through 2030.

The package, first reported by Eindhovens Dagblad, covers all 44,500 ASML employees worldwide. The stock units become available from January 1, 2027, but the condition to cash them is continuing employment on January 1, 2030. If every worker stays, the total cost would be approximately €890 million. ASML generated €9.3 billion in revenue in the last quarter alone, with net profit of €2.92 billion, so the company can comfortably absorb the expense.

Key facts

Why ASML is paying to keep talent

ASML is the world’s sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, essential for manufacturing advanced AI chips from companies like NVIDIA, AMD, and Apple. The surge in AI infrastructure spending has created unprecedented demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and ASML’s specialized engineers are difficult to replace quickly.

The company is not alone in this approach. Samsung earlier this year agreed to pay semiconductor division employees an average bonus of $340,000 after workers threatened a strike that could have halted production lines. The Samsung deal, however, created internal tensions: employees in other divisions, such as consumer devices, received bonuses as low as $4,000. SK Hynix, another major memory chip maker, has also been offering retention packages to key personnel as it ramps up high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production for AI accelerators.

The big tech layoff wave continues

In contrast, the largest technology companies are cutting staff aggressively. Meta laid off around 8,000 employees in May 2026. Microsoft offered early retirement packages to thousands of workers. Oracle reportedly dismissed several thousand employees, though the exact number has not been confirmed. Amazon has also conducted multiple rounds of reductions this year.

The common justification cited by these companies is the need to redirect resources toward AI infrastructure and product development. The layoffs are not primarily driven by financial distress — most of these firms are reporting strong earnings — but by a strategic shift to reallocate headcount from legacy product teams to AI-focused units. This has created a paradoxical situation: more AI investment leads to fewer total jobs at the biggest tech firms, while the hardware suppliers that enable AI are desperate for more workers.

What this means for the AI industry

For engineers and investors watching the AI supply chain, the ASML bonus signals that the semiconductor equipment sector faces a critical talent shortage. The company’s stock has been among the best-performing in Europe, and its market capitalization leads the continent. The retention offer is effectively a bet that the AI chip boom will continue for at least four more years.

The contrast also raises questions about the long-term sustainability of big tech’s hiring strategy. If the largest AI consumers are shedding experienced workers, and the companies that build the underlying hardware are hoarding them, the labor market may become increasingly fragmented. The next few years will reveal whether the layoffs represent a temporary restructuring or a permanent shift in how AI companies organize their workforces.

Remaining uncertainties

While the ASML bonus details are confirmed by local Dutch media, the exact vesting mechanics and tax implications for employees outside the Netherlands have not been fully disclosed. The Samsung bonus figures come from Korean labor negotiations and may vary by role and seniority. The total layoff numbers for 2026 are based on industry estimates compiled by tracking firms; individual company announcements may differ in methodology.

Source: Xataka IA (original Spanish) with additional reporting from Eindhovens Dagblad. https://www.xataka.com/empresas-y-economia/sector-tecnologico-se-desangra-despidos-asml-camina-direccion-opuesta-20-000-euros-quedarse