Patreon is laying off 20% of its workforce, affecting 93 employees, as the creator platform restructures its operations amid rapid changes across the technology industry.

CEO Jack Conte announced the cuts in a memo to employees, saying Patreon’s core business remains strong but that the company needs to adjust its cost structure and respond to changing market conditions.

Patreon Says Layoffs Are Not About Replacing Workers with AI

Conte acknowledged that artificial intelligence has significantly changed the technology industry, affecting how companies work, develop products and communicate.

However, he stressed that the layoffs were not driven by a strategy to replace employees with AI.

According to Conte, AI tools do not replace the creativity, judgement and craftsmanship of Patreon’s employees or the human connection at the centre of the platform’s business.

The company is instead restructuring its organisation, flattening its hierarchy and refocusing teams around its highest priorities.

Affected Employees to Receive Severance and Benefits

Employees affected by the layoffs will receive at least 16 weeks of severance pay, with an additional week for every year they have worked at the company.

Patreon will also provide healthcare coverage through the end of the year and a $1,500 stipend to replace company laptops.

The latest cuts represent Patreon’s largest workforce reduction since 2022, when the company laid off 17% of its employees and closed its offices in Berlin and Dublin.

Patreon Tightens Defences Against AI Scraping

The layoffs come shortly after Patreon announced a partnership with Cloudflare to block AI bots that scrape creators’ work for training AI models without permission.

Patreon said AI scraping has become increasingly sophisticated, prompting the company to strengthen its efforts to protect creators and their content.

The move highlights the growing tension between AI companies seeking large volumes of online content for model training and platforms that rely on human-created work.

As Patreon restructures its workforce, the company is positioning itself around the continued value of human creativity and connection while adapting its operations to an industry increasingly shaped by AI.