Meta to cut jobs, shift thousands of employees toward AI initiatives: Report
Follow UsMeta may cut around 10 percent of its workforce this week as part of a broader AI overhaul.
Nearly 7,000 employees are reportedly being reassigned to AI-related projects and initiatives.
The restructuring has sparked internal employee backlash over layoffs and AI training practices.
After speculations about layoffs, Meta is now reportedly moving ahead with a big restructuring exercise this week amid the growing push towards AI. As per the internal memo seen by Reuters, the Facebook parent aims to reduce its workforce globally while reassigning thousands of employees to new AI-focused teams and projects.
SurveyThe latest restructuring is said to begin on May 20, when around 10 per cent of the company’s workforce can be impacted by layoffs. The move is said to be a result of the company’s increasing investment in AI agents and automation technologies. Reports suggest deeper cuts may follow later this year as the company reshapes its internal structure around AI development.
In the memo, Meta’s Chief People Officer Janelle Gale reportedly informed employees that nearly 7,000 staff members would either be reassigned to AI-related initiatives or affected by bigger organisational changes. The company is also said to reduce several managerial positions as part of efforts to flatten reporting structures and create smaller, faster-moving teams.
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The restructuring appears heavily tied to Meta’s broader AI for Work strategy. Teams such as Applied AI Engineering AAI, Agent Transformation Accelerator (ATA), and Central Analytics are reportedly being expanded to focus on building AI systems capable of handling tasks currently performed by human employees. Another internal unit called Enterprise Solutions is also said to be introduced soon.
The reports also suggest that Meta has additionally frozen or eliminated around 6,000 open job positions during the process. According to company filings, Meta had close to 78,000 employees globally at the end of March.
The changes have reportedly triggered internal backlash among employees. Many employees have criticised the company over its handling of layoffs and concerns around privacy-related AI tools. The report also suggests that over 1,000 employees have also signed a petition objecting to software designed to track mouse movements for AI training purposes.
