Meta lays off 8,000 employees amid major AI-driven restructuring

SINGAPORE: Tech giant Meta has begun issuing termination notices to around 8,000 employees worldwide as part of a major restructuring initiative focused on artificial intelligence (AI), according to reports.

The layoffs began at 4am on Wednesday in Singapore and affect nearly 10 percent of Meta’s global workforce of 78,865 employees.

In an internal memo, Meta Chief People Officer Janelle Gale said the restructuring is aimed at enabling teams to “operate with a flatter structure with smaller teams of pods and cohorts that can move faster and with more ownership.”

Alongside the layoffs, the company is reportedly reassigning 7,000 employees to newly formed AI-focused teams and cancelling plans to fill 6,000 open positions.

Reports suggest further job cuts are expected later this year, with additional restructuring rounds planned for August and the autumn season.

This marks Meta’s third round of layoffs in 2026 and is being described as the largest corporate restructuring in Asia’s technology sector this year.

Despite the workforce reductions, Meta continues to post strong financial results. The company reported revenue of $201 billion in 2025, a 22 percent increase year-on-year, while fourth-quarter net income stood at $22.8 billion.

The company has significantly increased investment in AI infrastructure, with planned capital expenditure between $115 billion and $145 billion in 2026. Analysts estimate the layoffs could save Meta approximately $3 billion annually, though experts say the move reflects a broader structural shift toward AI-driven operations rather than simple cost-cutting.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly emphasized the growing role of AI within the company, encouraging engineers to use AI tools for coding and automation. He has also outlined plans to integrate AI systems more deeply into workplace operations.

The layoffs have sparked concern among employees. Reports indicate that more than 1,000 staff members had signed a petition opposing the company’s plans to collect employee device data for AI training purposes, while others expressed anxiety over job security and workplace morale on social media.