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Meta is redrawing its workforce around artificial intelligence, and the scale is hard to ignore. Reports from Reuters and The New York Times say the company is moving 7,000 employees into newly created AI centered teams while preparing to cut another 8,000 jobs in the same week. It is a sharp snapshot of where big tech is putting its money, its talent, and its future.
According to the reports, Meta's head of HR, Janelle Gale, told staff in an internal memo that thousands of employees would be reassigned into four new organizations focused on building AI tools and applications. The goal, she reportedly said, is to make the company more productive while also making the work feel more rewarding. That is the official framing. The broader reality is simpler: Meta wants more of its people working directly on AI, and fewer layers standing in the way.
The new groups are expected to use what Gale described as AI native design structures, with flatter management chains and leaner reporting lines. Employees were reportedly asked to work from home on Wednesday, May 20, and wait for emails confirming whether they would be moved into one of the new roles. Some transfers had already gone through before that notice landed.
At the same time, Meta is also expected to notify employees affected by layoffs. The company had already told staff in late April that it planned to eliminate 8,000 roles and close 6,000 open positions. Gale said then that the cuts were part of Meta's ongoing push to run more efficiently and free up resources for other investments. In context, that likely points straight at AI.
This is not happening in a vacuum. Across the tech industry, companies have been trimming headcount while pouring capital into artificial intelligence infrastructure, products, and research. Meta, though, appears to be moving faster and more aggressively than many of its peers. After years of pushing the metaverse, the company has clearly changed gears. AI is now the main event.
From metaverse dream to AI sprint
That pivot is showing up everywhere. Meta is planning massive data center expansion, reportedly aiming for facilities measured in tens of gigawatts over the coming decade. It has assembled a superintelligence team, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly taken a hands on role in recruiting top AI talent. The company is also building AI agents and weaving its chatbot into multiple products across its ecosystem.
The spending reflects that urgency. The New York Times reports that Zuckerberg told investors Meta expects to spend between about €106.2 billion and €124.7 billion this year, with most of that tied to AI development. Those are extraordinary numbers, even by hyperscaler standards, and they underline just how central AI has become to Meta's strategy.
By the end of 2025, Meta had roughly 78,000 employees. If 8,000 jobs are cut, that would remove close to 10 percent of its workforce. Reuters also says more job reductions could come later this year, suggesting this week may not be the end of the reshuffle.
Employees who lose their jobs are expected to receive 16 weeks of severance, plus an extra two weeks for each year they have worked at the company. For those staying, the message is equally clear, if less comforting: the company they joined may still be called Meta, but the internal map is being redrawn around AI at speed.
What makes this moment notable is not just the number of layoffs or transfers. It is the symbolism. Meta once staked its identity on the metaverse. Now it is reorganizing thousands of people, flattening teams, and spending at a staggering level to compete in the AI race. Silicon Valley loves a pivot. This one looks more like a full scale rewrite.
Comments
Tomas
Had a friend at a FAANG who went thru this pivot, morale cratered quickly but AI squads hired fast. Not sure if cuts were unavoidable or just awful timing, tho.
atomwave
Wait 7k moved and 8k cut in same week? Feels like panic mode. Are they really building AI faster or just chopping for optics? kinda sus...
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