Lay off 8,000 employees! Driven by AI efficiency improvements, Meta plans to launch the first round of layoffs, about 10%, on May 20.

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Meta’s first round of layoffs will take place on May 20, affecting about 8,000 employees, with more cuts to follow. This large-scale layoff is a direct result of the company placing artificial intelligence at the core of its strategy, reflecting a broader shift in employment patterns in the U.S. tech industry.

According to Reuters, three sources revealed that Meta has set May 20 as the date for the first wave of layoffs, involving about 10% of the company’s global workforce, nearly 8,000 people.

Meanwhile, the company plans to implement further layoffs in the second half of this year, though the specific date and scale have yet to be finalized. Sources said the executive team will adjust the plan depending on the progress of AI capabilities.

This layoff is Meta’s largest personnel reduction since the major layoffs of its “Year of Efficiency” from 2022 to 2023. Zuckerberg is profoundly reshaping the company’s internal structure, betting on artificial intelligence as the core driving force.

Phased Implementation, Annual Layoff Rate May Exceed 20%

According to Reuters last month, Meta plans to lay off 20% or more of its global workforce over the year. The just revealed May 20 plan accounts for about half of this target.

As of December 31, 2025, Meta’s global workforce is about 79,000. This means that if annual layoffs reach 20%, the number of affected employees will exceed 15,000.

All three sources confirmed that more layoffs are expected later this year, but details remain to be set, and executives are keeping room to adjust plans dynamically based on AI development progress.

AI Efficiency Drives Layoffs, Not Financial Difficulties

Unlike the round of layoffs in 2022–2023, when Meta’s stock price plunged and the company was dealing with the aftermath of missed pandemic-era growth expectations, this round is happening against a backdrop of relative financial stability.

Last year, Meta’s revenue exceeded $200 billion, with a net profit of $60 billion, despite massive AI-related capital expenditures.

Zuckerberg is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure and is committed to building a flatter, more efficient organization, with some roles replaced by AI.

Internal Structural Adjustments in Progress

Alongside the headcount reductions, Meta is also reorganizing its internal structure.

Recently, the company adjusted teams within its Reality Labs division and pulled engineers from various departments to form a new “Applied AI” team focused on rapidly developing AI agents capable of autonomously writing code and performing complex tasks.

According to a source, some employees will also be transferred to the newly established “Meta Small Business” department as part of the overall organizational restructuring.

AI-Driven Layoff Wave Spreads Across Tech Industry

Meta’s move is not an isolated case. Amazon recently cut about 30,000 corporate employees, about 10% of its white-collar workforce; fintech company Block laid off nearly half its staff in February this year.

Executives at both companies attributed the layoffs to efficiency gains brought about by artificial intelligence.

According to Layoffs, a website tracking global technology industry layoffs, 73,212 tech industry workers have lost their jobs so far this year; the total for 2024 reached 153,000.

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