India, April 1 -- Zomato has laid off as many as 600 customer support associates within just a year of hiring them at a time when it has been increasing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for customer support to cut costs.

This also comes with the company witnessing slowing growth in its core food delivery vertical (third-quarter profits down 57% year-on-year), as well as mounting losses in its quick commerce arm Blinkit, according to a Moneycontrol report.

The Gurugram-based company had hired as many as 1,500 employees under its Zomato Associate Accelerator Program (ZAAP) a year ago for customer support roles.

It even offered chances for them to get promoted to roles across sales, operations, program management, support, supply c...