Would most software teams in big tech be better with fewer engineers?

It’s the herding cats problem. Fewer, better engineers is (greatly) preferable but doesn’t play to the empire building of managers. Or the need for more managers. They might just work less hours with less fatigue and make code that is a bit more more sensible.

Large corporations = more middle management = more work to be invented = more mess to be created

We probably would be getting less useless updates that changes UI for no reason....

I'd flip the question around. Would engineers benefit from fewer big tech?