Meta Plans Layoffs of About 8,000 Employees

Meta is reducing its workforce by about 8,000 positions, or roughly 10 percent of total staff. The cuts add to previous reductions of about 25,000 jobs that began in 2023 under the company's efficiency program.

The reductions were first reported through leaks before the company confirmed them. Employees described uncertainty over several weeks while the news remained unacknowledged. The company stated that spending on artificial intelligence and data centers contributed to the decision. At the same time, Meta has reported record or near-record profits and revenue growth.

Meta has installed monitoring software on employee laptops that records keystrokes and cursor movements. The data is used to train internal AI models, and employees cannot opt out of the program. Remaining staff members are being reassigned to AI-related teams.

Some employees have described the process as abrupt, with colleagues disappearing from previous roles without prior notice. Employees working on Instagram noted that the company's main competitor is TikTok, which is not an AI-focused company. They said current revenue growth stems from existing products rather than artificial intelligence initiatives.