British American Tobacco (BAT) says it will cut jobs as it moves ahead with an AI-focused transformation programme aimed at reducing costs and improving profit performance. Sky News reports BAT plans to cut 5,500 roles across its global operations by the end of the year, linking the changes to a wider drive to become more “technology enabled.” The Independent similarly says BAT plans to reduce its workforce by about 20%, as it pursues cost-saving measures through the transformation and navigates broader pressures. Several outlets, including the Guardian and reports attributed to Reuters and the Financial Times, add more detail: BAT is expected to cut 5,500 jobs and outsource a further 3,500 positions, affecting a total of about 9,000 employees. Other coverage describes the overall figure as cutting roughly one-fifth of BAT’s workforce. Across sources, the common elements are the scale of the reductions, the company’s stated goal of lowering costs, and the role of AI and broader operational restructuring in the plan. BAT’s communications also reference the context of regulatory and commercial challenges while it works through delayed product and rollout issues.