In November 2022, the company laid off 11,000 employees—equivalent to 13% of its workforce at the time—and announced the layoff of another 10,000 employees about four months later. Over the past year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pushing the company to bolster its competitiveness in generative AI. This move is part of the company's efforts to offset its costly investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure and prepare for the increased efficiency that AI-assisted work will provide. According to the sources, the execution date for these layoffs has not yet been set, nor has the exact number of affected employees been finalized. "If Meta settles on the 20% figure, it would mark the largest layoff in the company’s history since the restructuring carried out in late 2022 and early 2023, which it dubbed the 'Year of Efficiency.'" The company has offered massive salary packages, some worth hundreds of millions of dollars over four years, to attract top AI researchers to join its new team specializing in 'super-intelligence.' Meta's plans reflect a broader pattern among major U.S. companies, especially in the technology sector this year, with executives citing recent advancements in AI systems as one of the reasons for this shift. Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, plans to lay off a large number of its employees, potentially reaching 20% or more. Zuckerberg alluded to efficiency gains from these investments, stating in January that he has begun to see 'projects that required large teams now being completed by one very talented person.' The company announced plans to invest $600 billion to build data centers by 2028. Two of the sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the matter, indicated that Meta’s top executives recently informed other senior management officials of the plan and asked them to begin planning how to reduce the headcount. It is also investing at least $2 billion to acquire the Chinese AI startup 'Manus,' according to a previous Reuters report. In response to questions about the plan, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated, 'This is a report based on speculation about theoretical conceptions.' The company had approximately 79,000 employees as of December 31, according to its latest disclosure. Recently, Meta acquired 'Multibook,' a social media platform specifically designed for AI models and systems.
