In a memo shared with employees on Wednesday, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the difficult decision to lay off 8,000 staff members, emphasizing the company's need to adapt in the highly competitive artificial intelligence landscape. He highlighted that “success isn’t a given” and positioned AI as "the most consequential technology of our lifetimes." According to Zuckerberg, the future leaders in this sector will shape the technological landscape for years to come.
The memo, which was initially reported by The New York Times and later seen by CNBC, reflects the urgent atmosphere within Meta as the company embarks on this latest round of layoffs, which affects nearly 10% of its workforce.
Earlier in April, Meta had disclosed plans for substantial workforce reductions, announcing that it would also halt recruitment for around 6,000 job vacancies. In that communication, the company indicated that the layoffs were part of a strategic shift towards prioritizing investments in areas like AI.
Alongside the job cuts, the restructuring will transition about 7,000 employees into new roles centered on AI initiatives, as revealed by a source familiar with the situation who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters.
While several departments will be impacted by these layoffs, reports suggest that teams specializing in AI infrastructure, foundational models, and monetization efforts are likely to remain intact.
Zuckerberg acknowledged the emotional toll of the layoffs, stating, "It's always sad to say goodbye to people who have contributed to our mission and to building this company." He expressed his appreciation for the departing employees and the hard work they dedicated to the community.
