Cuts Affect 10% of Global Workforce
Meta initiated a new round of global layoffs this week that is expected to eliminate around 8,000 jobs, equivalent to approximately 10% of its workforce.
The notifications began rolling out at 4:00 AM on Wednesday, May 20, in organized waves based on each country’s time zone. Singapore-based employees were among the first to receive emails informing them that their roles had been eliminated.
“Unfortunately, your role has been eliminated as part of today’s reorganization. Before sharing more details, we want to thank you for everything you have contributed to Meta,” stated the message sent by the company’s leadership.
Zuckerberg Sends Farewell Message
“It’s always sad to say goodbye to people who have contributed to our mission and to building this company,” he wrote.
The executive also stated:
“I feel the weight of this and am spending a lot of time ensuring we handle it as best we can.”
Zuckerberg further noted that he does not expect any new company-wide mass layoffs this year, although the text leaves open the possibility of more targeted cuts in specific areas, such as the Reality Labs hardware division.
Meta Accelerates Investments in Artificial Intelligence
The email sent to workers stated that the cuts are part of the company’s effort to “run Meta more efficiently” and offset heavy investments in artificial intelligence (AI).
The company also announced the reallocation of another 7,000 employees into AI-related roles.
According to the company, investments in AI infrastructure are expected to reach between $125 billion and $145 billion this year—more than double what was previously projected for 2025.
In the statement to employees, Zuckerberg asserted that Meta is among “the few companies in a position to help define the future” and reinforced the goal of developing a “personal superintelligence” for users worldwide.
Employees Will Receive Severance
In the United States, affected employees will receive a severance package including:
- 16 weeks of base salary;
- Two additional weeks for each continuous year of service.
Sources and References:
- Singapore employees among first to know of Meta’s 8,000 global job cuts: The Business Times
- Exclusive: Meta CEO tells staff he doesn’t expect more company-wide layoffs this year, internal memo says: Investing.com
- Meta raises capital expenditure forecast, doubling down on Artificial Intelligence: Investing.com
- 7,000 employee transfers / Meta CEO tells staff he doesn’t expect more company-wide layoffs this year: Reuters