Washington DC – Meta has announced plans to lay off around 10% of its global workforce, affecting approximately 8,000 employees, as the tech giant continues to redirect massive investments into artificial intelligence.
The company also confirmed it will eliminate about 6,000 open positions. The layoffs are expected to take effect on May 20, according to a memo from Meta’s Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, cited by Bloomberg and confirmed by CNN.
“We’re doing this as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making,” Gale wrote.
The move comes as Meta intensifies spending on AI infrastructure and development. The company reported $72.2 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, mainly directed toward data centers and AI systems, with projections suggesting spending could rise to at least $115 billion in 2026.
Meta has also been aggressively recruiting top AI talent for its superintelligence lab and acquiring emerging startups in the field as it competes with rivals such as OpenAI.
Despite the restructuring, Meta’s shares fell by more than 2% on Thursday afternoon following the announcement.
The layoffs reflect a wider trend across the technology sector, where companies are increasingly citing AI-driven efficiency gains as a reason for workforce reductions. Amazon announced in January that it would cut 16,000 jobs, while fintech company Block revealed plans to reduce its workforce by 40%, affecting over 4,000 employees.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously suggested that artificial intelligence will significantly reshape the company’s operations. Speaking during an earnings call, he described 2026 as “the year that AI starts to dramatically change the way that we work.”
“We’re starting to see projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person,” Zuckerberg said.
Affected U.S.-based employees will receive 16 weeks of base pay, plus two additional weeks for each year of service. Similar compensation packages will be offered to international staff.
Meta previously cut tens of thousands of jobs in 2022 and 2023 as part of broader restructuring after pandemic-era hiring surges. Last year, the company also reduced around 5% of its “lowest performers,” though many roles were later refilled.
