Meta is preparing to begin a fresh round of layoffs later this year, with the first phase expected around May 20, according to a Reuters report citing people familiar with the plans.
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram is likely to cut about 10 percent of its global workforce in this initial round. That would affect close to 8,000 employees, one source said. More layoffs are planned for the second half of the year, though the timing and scale have not yet been finalized.
The report added that executives could still revise these plans depending on how developments in artificial intelligence unfold in the coming months. Reuters had earlier reported that Meta may ultimately reduce more than 20 percent of its workforce as part of a broader restructuring effort.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to reposition the company around the technology. The move reflects a wider trend across major US tech firms that are reshaping operations to prioritise AI.
Other companies have also been making similar cuts. Amazon has reduced around 30,000 corporate roles in recent months, roughly 10 percent of its white collar workforce. Meanwhile, fintech firm Block Inc. cut nearly half of its staff in February.
In both cases, company leaders linked the job cuts directly to efficiency gains driven by artificial intelligence, underscoring how quickly AI is reshaping hiring decisions across the tech sector.
READ: Viral post claims Meta’s AI strategy on hiring, productivity and layoffs goes global (
Data from Layoffs.fyi shows that 73,212 tech workers have already lost their jobs globally this year. For comparison, the total for all of 2024 stood at around 153,000, highlighting the continued scale of workforce reductions.
For Meta, the planned layoffs mark its biggest workforce reset since the sweeping restructuring in late 2022 and early 2023, a period the company called its “year of efficiency.” During that phase, about 21,000 roles were eliminated as the company grappled with slowing growth after the pandemic and a sharp decline in its stock.
This time, the financial backdrop is more stable. Meta has reported strong revenue and profits, even as it continues to spend heavily on AI. The company generated over $200 billion in revenue last year and posted roughly $60 billion in profit. Its stock has risen modestly so far this year, though it remains below its peak from last summer.
Executives are now focused on building a leaner organisation with fewer layers of management, relying more on AI-assisted systems to improve productivity. As of December 31, the company employed close to 79,000 people, according to its latest filing.
Recent internal changes reflect that shift. Meta has reorganised teams within its Reality Labs division and reassigned engineers to a new Applied AI group aimed at developing advanced AI agents capable of writing code and handling complex tasks independently. Some employees are also expected to move into Meta Small Business, a unit launched last month as part of the broader restructuring effort.