Meta cuts 8,000 jobs in AI-driven restructuring

Meta Platforms has begun laying off thousands of employees worldwide as part of a major restructuring plan focused on artificial intelligence and cost-cutting.

Employees in Singapore received layoff notices early Wednesday, while workers across Europe and the United States are expected to receive updates later in their local time zones.

The company plans to eliminate around 8,000 jobs, mainly across engineering and product divisions, while also freezing recruitment for thousands of unfilled roles. 

At the same time, Meta has reassigned nearly 7,000 employees to AI-focused teams developing advanced agents and new digital products. The company employed close to 80,000 people at the end of March.

The layoffs will affect about 10% of its workforce.

Facebook’s parent is spending heavily on AI to compete with rivals like Alphabet and OpenAI. The company expects to spend about $135 billion on the tech in 2026, almost equal to its total AI spending over the previous three years combined. 

Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said artificial intelligence tools are making employees far more productive, with one worker now able to complete tasks that once required large teams.

Meta has pledged to invest as much as $145 billion in artificial intelligence this year. The latest job cuts are designed to redirect spending toward AI.

Meta already reduced its workforce by around 2,000 employees earlier this year, but the upcoming layoffs will become its biggest since 2023. 

The company also recently implemented a new internal program that tracks workers’ computer actions to improve AI systems, a move some workers criticized. Other tech firms, including Amazon, Oracle, Microsoft, Snap, and Block, have also reduced staff while boosting AI investments.