Global tech giant Meta Platforms is set to begin a major round of layoffs from May 20, with plans to cut roughly 10% of its global workforce, amounting to nearly 8,000 employees, according to reports citing sources familiar with the matter.
The layoffs are expected to be rolled out in phases, starting with the initial cuts in May, while additional job reductions are likely to follow later in the year. However, the timeline and scale of the subsequent rounds have not yet been finalised and may be adjusted depending on how the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) strategy evolves.
The move comes as CEO Mark Zuckerberg accelerates efforts to restructure the company around AI, committing massive investments to the technology. The company is reportedly spending hundreds of billions of dollars to expand its AI capabilities, signalling a major shift in priorities from earlier bets such as the metaverse.
Sources indicated that Meta’s leadership is aiming to build a leaner organisational structure with fewer management layers and greater reliance on AI-driven tools to improve productivity and efficiency. This transition is expected to significantly reshape roles within the company, with some employees potentially being reassigned to newer divisions aligned with AI initiatives.
The layoffs would mark the company’s largest workforce reduction since its restructuring phase in 2022 and 2023, which was dubbed the “year of efficiency” and saw approximately 21,000 jobs eliminated. At that time, Meta was grappling with slowing growth and over-expansion during the pandemic.
Despite the planned job cuts, the company is currently in a stronger financial position, having reported robust revenues and profits in recent years. Nevertheless, the ongoing restructuring reflects a broader trend across the tech industry, where companies are increasingly prioritising automation and AI integration to streamline operations and reduce costs.
Other major firms, including Amazon and fintech company Block, have also carried out significant layoffs in recent months, with executives linking the decisions to efficiency gains enabled by AI technologies. Industry data suggests tens of thousands of tech workers have already lost jobs this year, underlining the scale of the shift underway.
Meta has not officially confirmed the exact details of the layoffs, including their timing and scope. However, insiders suggest that the company’s workforce strategy will remain closely tied to developments in AI, indicating that further changes could be on the horizon as the technology continues to evolve.
