Meta Platforms is reportedly considering a large-scale reduction of its workforce, potentially affecting up to 20 percent of its global employees as the company accelerates its investment in artificial intelligence. Sources familiar with internal discussions say senior executives have indicated that job cuts are likely, though the timing and scale have not been finalized. If implemented, the reductions would mark the largest workforce cut since the company’s restructuring in 2022 and 2023.
Meta employed nearly 79,000 people worldwide at the end of 2025, meaning a 20 percent cut could impact more than 15,000 roles. A spokesperson for the company described reports of layoffs as “speculative reporting about theoretical approaches” but insiders say conversations about streamlining teams have intensified in recent weeks.
The potential layoffs come as Meta ramps up spending on AI infrastructure and talent. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has made generative AI and “superintelligence” central to the company’s strategy. Meta has committed to investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new AI data centres and computing capacity, with plans to spend up to $600 billion on infrastructure by 2028.
The company has also sought to attract top AI researchers with lucrative compensation packages, some reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars over four years, while expanding through acquisitions to strengthen its AI capabilities. Recent deals include the purchase of Moltbook, a social networking platform for AI agents, and reports indicate a $2 billion acquisition of Chinese AI startup Manus.
Meta’s AI development has faced challenges. Its large language models, including earlier versions of the Llama series, have been criticised for overstating performance, and the company shelved plans to release its largest model, Llama 4 “Behemoth,” after it failed internal tests. The next flagship AI project, codenamed Avocado, is in development but progress has been slower than anticipated.
Zuckerberg has emphasized that AI tools will allow the company to maintain output with fewer employees. He has suggested that projects requiring large teams in the past could now be handled by a single engineer supported by advanced AI systems. This trend toward “AI-assisted workers” is reshaping hiring and operational strategies across the tech industry, with companies such as Amazon and Block already cutting thousands of jobs while increasing investment in AI.
Experts say the shift reflects a broader recalibration following rapid pandemic-era hiring. Thea Fineren, chief people officer at IT services firm Advania, said companies must plan for ongoing workforce transformation and reskill employees for roles that require creativity, judgement, and human interaction. “It’s not humans versus machines,” she said. “It’s about giving people the best opportunity to add value in areas where human capability still matters most.”
For Meta, the coming months could be a defining period as it seeks to transition from a social media company into a leading AI platform, even if that transformation entails significant workforce reductions.
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