Meta Platforms Inc. has begun notifying employees across its global operations of fresh job cuts affecting about 8,000 roles as part of a major restructuring tied to its growing investment in artificial intelligence and cost optimisation.
According to reports, the layoffs started on Wednesday morning, with employees in Asia receiving notifications around 4 a.m. Singapore time, while staff in the United States were also expected to be informed later in the day.
The latest round of layoffs is part of Meta’s broader effort to streamline operations while redirecting substantial resources toward AI infrastructure and product development.
Affected employees were reportedly advised to work remotely as the company proceeds with the restructuring exercise, which is expected to hit engineering and product teams the hardest.
At the same time, Meta has reassigned about 7,000 employees to newly created AI-focused teams working on products and autonomous agents, according to internal communications. The company had fewer than 80,000 employees as of March before the latest workforce reduction.
Meta’s Head of People, Janelle Gale, said the company is moving towards a flatter organisational structure aimed at improving speed and accountability.
“We’re now at the stage where many orgs can operate with a flatter structure with smaller teams of pods/cohorts that can move faster and with more ownership,” Gale said in an internal memo.
“We believe this will make us more productive and make the work more rewarding,” she added.
The restructuring has reportedly heightened concerns among employees over job security and workplace monitoring linked to the company’s AI ambitions.
Reports indicate that more than 1,000 workers signed a petition urging the company not to adopt extensive device-level data collection methods, including monitoring keystrokes and screen activity, for AI training purposes.
Some employees have also expressed concerns on social media about declining morale and uncertainty caused by repeated restructuring exercises.
Meta’s aggressive AI investment strategy has also attracted scrutiny from investors worried about the long-term returns on the company’s massive spending plans. Analysts at Evercore estimate that the latest job cuts could generate about $3 billion in savings.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has positioned artificial intelligence at the centre of Meta’s long-term strategy, with the company committing more than $100 billion this year to AI-related infrastructure and capabilities.
The push is aimed at strengthening Meta’s position against rivals, including Alphabet Inc., Google, and OpenAI, as competition intensifies in AI models, agents, and enterprise applications.
Meta has carried out several rounds of layoffs in recent years as part of a broader efficiency drive while expanding the use of AI tools across its internal operations, including automation systems and coding support.
