Meta To Cut 8,000 Jobs As AI Investment Surges
Tech giant Meta has announced plans to reduce its workforce by about 10%, affecting roughly 8,000 employees, as it ramps up spending on artificial intelligence (AI).
According to an internal memo shared with staff, the company will also pause hiring for thousands of open roles it had previously planned to fill. A spokesperson confirmed the layoffs but did not provide further details.
The move comes as Meta significantly increases its investment in AI, with spending projected to reach $135 billion this year – an amount comparable to what it has allocated to AI development over the past three years combined.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg had earlier signaled the possibility of job cuts, noting in January that AI tools were already transforming workplace productivity. He suggested that tasks once handled by large teams can now be completed by fewer individuals using advanced AI systems.
Zuckerberg added that 2026 could mark a turning point in how AI reshapes work processes across industries.
Reports from Reuters and Bloomberg had previously indicated that deeper cuts were likely, with employees anticipating a major restructuring.
The company has already implemented smaller rounds of layoffs earlier this year, affecting about 2,000 workers. The upcoming cuts are expected to be the largest since 2023.
Meta’s internal focus has increasingly shifted toward advancing AI models and tools. As part of this push, the company recently informed employees it would begin monitoring interactions with work devices to help train its AI systems – a move that has drawn concern among some staff.
Since 2022, Meta has carried out multiple layoffs, reducing its workforce by tens of thousands before resuming hiring last year. However, the latest development signals a renewed shift in priorities as the company doubles down on AI-driven growth.
