Meta cuts 8,000 jobs to boost artificial intelligence development. Meta has announced large-scale layoffs: 8,000 employees will lose their jobs, and another 7,000 will be reassigned to new artificial intelligence projects. The decision is part of a strategic company restructuring and has raised concerns among staff.
On the night of May 20, employees of Meta—the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—received emails about mass layoffs. The decision affected 8,000 people, which is about 10% of the workforce. Another 7,000 employees will be transferred to new divisions related to artificial intelligence. As Talent24h notes, these changes are the largest the company has seen in recent years.
Notifications first reached employees in Singapore, then in the UK, US, and other countries. Inside the company, a frantic check began: who remained on the team, and who was let go. In corporate chats, employees exchanged brief words of support, and nearly empty workspaces appeared in the offices—the management recommended working from home.
Internal tension
The reaction among staff was mixed. Many discussed not only the layoffs but also Meta’s new project to collect internal data for AI training. More than a thousand employees signed a petition demanding the process be stopped, fearing for information confidentiality. According to the company, those laid off will receive 16 weeks of severance pay plus two weeks for each year worked.
Dissatisfaction among employees grew: the layoffs came amid Meta’s record profits last month. This raised questions about the real reasons behind the restructuring and the necessity of such large-scale changes.
A bet on artificial intelligence
At the center of the changes is the creation of a new division, 'Engineering and Applied AI,' led by Maher Saba, Vice President of Engineering. Around 2,000 employees have already been transferred to this department, and hiring continues. The company stresses that participation in this project guarantees protection from layoffs, and the initiative itself is a personal priority for Mark Zuckerberg.
Within Meta, the shift toward AI is seen as a strategic move aimed at securing the company’s leadership in the technology market. However, some employees are anxious about the changes, especially given the use of internal data for training neural networks.
Context and consequences
According to Zuckerberg, no further layoffs are planned for this year. Nevertheless, an atmosphere of uncertainty remains: employees are waiting to see how their work and corporate culture will change after such a large-scale restructuring. It's important to note that similar processes are affecting not only Meta—technology giants around the world are revising their strategies in favor of artificial intelligence.
Interestingly, changes in large companies often coincide with shifts in other areas of life. For example, a recent forecast about a change in the emotional tone of the day also highlights how quickly the modern pace and people's expectations are changing.
The technology job market is becoming increasingly dynamic: specialists in AI, data analytics, and machine learning are in demand. For many Meta employees, these changes could offer opportunities for professional growth, but for some, they may become a painful challenge.
