Meta is preparing a major round of layoffs, with thousands of employees expected to lose their jobs next month as the company ramps up investment in artificial intelligence (AI).
According to an internal memo shared with staff, the tech giant plans to cut about 10% of its workforce, representing roughly 8,000 positions. In addition, the company will halt recruitment for several thousand open roles, further reducing its overall headcount.
This restructuring is largely driven by a sharp increase in spending on AI. Meta is expected to allocate around $135 billion to AI projects this year alone, an amount comparable to its total investment in the field over the past three years combined. The shift reflects the company’s ambition to accelerate development of advanced AI systems and remain competitive in the sector.
The announcement follows earlier signals from CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who indicated at the start of the year that further job cuts were likely. He emphasized that AI tools are significantly improving productivity, enabling fewer employees to handle tasks that previously required larger teams.
“I think that 2026 is going to be the year that AI starts to dramatically change the way that we work,” Zuckerberg said, highlighting the company’s long-term vision.
Meta has already reduced its workforce by around 2,000 employees in earlier rounds this year. However, staff had anticipated a larger restructuring as the company intensified its focus on AI development.
The shift has also brought internal changes. Recently, employees were informed that their interactions with work systems may be monitored to help train AI models. This move has raised concerns among some workers, particularly in the context of ongoing layoffs.
Since 2022, Meta has carried out multiple workforce reductions, cutting tens of thousands of jobs. Although hiring briefly resumed afterward, the upcoming cuts are set to be the most significant since 2023, marking a new phase in the company’s transformation toward an AI-driven model.
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