Facebook-Owner Meta to Nearly Double AI Spending
Meta Plans Sharp Increase In AI Investment, Signals Further Restructuring
Meta Platforms is preparing to significantly raise its spending on artificial intelligence this year, nearly doubling its investment despite growing warnings from industry leaders about a potential AI bubble.
Speaking during an earnings call on Wednesday, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said the Facebook and Instagram owner expects capital expenditure to reach as much as $135 billion in 2026, with most of the funds directed toward AI-related infrastructure. The figure represents a sharp increase from the $72 billion spent on AI projects and infrastructure in 2025.
Over the past three years, Meta has already invested about $140 billion as it races to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving AI space. Zuckerberg told analysts he believes 2026 will mark a turning point, when artificial intelligence begins to fundamentally reshape how people work.
The comments came as Meta reported that expenses grew faster than revenue in the final quarter of 2025, putting pressure on profit margins. Despite this, investors reacted positively, with Meta shares climbing about 6.5% in after-hours trading in New York.
Zuckerberg also hinted that increased reliance on AI tools could lead to further job reductions across the company. He noted that tasks previously handled by large teams can now be completed by a single highly skilled worker using advanced AI systems.
Meta has already laid off several hundred employees this year, largely within its Reality Labs unit, which focuses on metaverse development, hardware and AI initiatives. According to Zuckerberg, the company is expanding internal AI tools to help employees – particularly engineers – work more efficiently, creating a widening productivity gap between those who adopt the technology effectively and those who do not.
As Meta pushes deeper into AI, concerns are growing across the tech sector about excessive spending. Cisco Systems chief executive Chuck Robbins warned that while AI could eventually surpass the impact of the internet, the current surge resembles a bubble in which some companies may not survive. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Google boss Sundar Pichai have also expressed caution, citing signs of market excess.
Even OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has acknowledged investor overexcitement, saying last year that enthusiasm around AI may have outpaced reality.
Despite these warnings, Meta appears committed to its strategy, betting that aggressive investment will secure its position in what Zuckerberg describes as a transformative era for technology and work.
