Meta confirmed that it will cut 10 per cent of its global workforce, laying off around 8,000 employees, as the company increases its focus on artificial intelligence. The development was communicated to employees through an internal memo.
The memo, first reported by Bloomberg, was sent by Meta’s Chief People Officer Janelle Gale. In her message, she said the company is implementing internal changes that will result in layoffs affecting about 10 per cent of staff on May 20.
Push to AI-driven growth
The announcement confirms earlier reports that indicated a reduction of roughly 8,000 jobs on the same date. With this move, Meta joins other major technology companies such as Oracle, Amazon and Microsoft, which have also cut thousands of roles while shifting their focus towards AI-driven growth.
The impact of the decision will extend beyond existing employees. Meta has also said it will not move forward with hiring for around 6,000 open roles that were previously expected to be filled, effectively freezing a significant portion of its planned recruitment.
In the memo, Gale acknowledged the difficulty of the decision and explained that the company was sharing the update earlier than usual because details of the layoffs had already been reported in the media. She noted that while Meta would normally prefer to finalise more specifics before communicating widely, the leak prompted the company to inform employees with the information currently available.
More layoffs expected
Apart from the 8,000 job cuts planned in this round, reports suggest that Meta could carry out another similar round of layoffs in the future. If that happens, the total reduction could reach around 20 per cent of the company’s 79,000-strong workforce.
Meta had previously reduced around 700 roles across various teams, including its Reality Labs division, which is responsible for developing the metaverse.
Explaining the reasoning behind the layoffs, Gale said the company needs to reduce roles to manage costs and support investments in other areas. While she did not specify the exact sectors receiving increased funding, reports indicate that Meta is investing billions of dollars into building AI infrastructure and expanding its capabilities in the field.
At the same time, the company has reportedly begun tracking employee mouse movements and keystrokes as part of efforts to train AI systems, a move that has faced criticism from some employees.