Meta is considering sweeping layoffs as it ramps up costly AI infrastructure investments.
Executives have asked senior leaders to prepare plans for potential workforce reductions.
Job cuts aim to offset AI costs and improve efficiency through AI-assisted work.
Meta is reportedly planning sweeping layoffs that could impact 20% or more of the company, reported Reuters adding that senior leadership has already started planning potential staff reductions to manage increasing operational costs and improve efficiency using AI-driven automation.
Reasons Behind Meta Layoffs
Meta is significantly investing in building artificial intelligence infrastructure and preparing for greater efficiency brought by AI-assisted workers. Since these investments are costly, the company is reportedly looking for ways to reduce costs elsewhere, including cutting jobs. While the layoffs are under discussion, the exact date and the magnitude for the cuts has not been finalised.
Senior executives have recently signalled the plans to other senior leaders at Meta and told them to begin planning how to pare back, two of the people told Reuters.
Internal planning may still change based on financial performance, hiring requirements for AI positions, and general economic conditions. Meta has not made specific numbers publicly available.
2 March 2026
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Scale of Meta Layoffs
Meta employed nearly 79,000 workers as of late 2025. If Meta goes ahead with the 20% figure, the layoffs reduction could impact roughly 16,000 jobs globally.
The company laid off 11,000 staffers in November 2022, or about 13% of its workforce at the time. Around four months later, it announced it was cutting another 10,000 jobs.
Is AI Replacing Jobs?
Executives have pointed to recent improvements in AI systems as one reason for the changes. In January, Amazon confirmed it would cut some 16,000 jobs, amounting to nearly 10% of its workforce.
Inside Zuckerberg’s AI Strategy
Mark Zuckerberg, the company's CEO, has been pressuring Meta to compete more aggressively in generative AI over the past year. To entice top AI researchers to join a new superintelligence team, the company has offered enormous compensation packages, some worth hundreds of millions of dollars over four years. By 2028, the company intends to invest $600bn in data center construction.
It purchased Moltbook, a social networking site designed for AI agents, earlier this week. Additionally, as previously reported by Reuters, Meta is investing at least $2bn to acquire Chinese AI start-up Manus.
