Meta to layoff 8,000 from its workforce, amid AI spending push: Report

In the memo, chief people officer, Janelle Gale, told the employees that the job cuts were being carried out as part of the company’s continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments it was making.

The memo further stated that it was not an easy trade-off and it will mean letting go of people who have made meaningful contributions to Meta during their time with the company. 

According to earlier reports, the company is planning to carry out additional layoffs in the second half of the year. While the details of the future layoffs are not yet confirmed, reportedly Meta executives are adjusting their plans based on their observations of the pace of developments in AI.

In March, it was reported that the Mark Zuckerberg-led company was planning to fire 20 per cent from its global workforce this year. Meta is yet to release an official statement about its latest layoff. 

The technology sector has been witnessing an unabated wave of layoff. The job cuts are largely an outcome of organisations increasingly experimenting with AI. Earlier this year, Block headed by Jack Dorsey, announced that it was slashing 40 per cent of its work force as it was moving towards AI tools.

Similarly, Snap Inc, announced this month that it was laying off about 8,000 of its employees which is about 16 per cent of its workforce. The company claimed that AI advancements were helping it to streamline operations and work with smaller teams.