Harsh decision from Meta: Staff for artificial intelligence is shrinking

Meta plans to enter a new downsizing process in its workforce, reducing the number of employees by approximately 10 percent. According to the information provided by Bloomberg, in this context, approximately 8 thousand people will part ways, and in addition, 6 thousand open positions will be completely canceled. The company’s recent cost control approach is in line with the general contraction trend seen especially in large-scale technology companies. This development is considered as a continuation of the restructuring steps Meta has implemented in recent years. Thus, the company aims to make its operational structure simpler and more efficient.

In the internal memorandum sent to employees by Meta Human Resources President Janelle Gale, it was stated that this decision was part of the effort to increase the company’s efficiency. Gale stated that the regulations will also help balance the company’s investments in different areas. Artificial intelligence technologies come first among these investments. It is known that Meta develops its own artificial intelligence models and uses extensive data sources to train these models. In addition, it seems that artificial intelligence-based features are increasingly coming to the fore in the company’s smart glasses projects.

Meta may continue shrinking process

On the other hand, it is said that the current layoffs may be only a part of the broader downsizing that the company is planning. Some reports that emerged in March had suggested that Meta was planning a reduction of up to 20 percent in its total workforce. Although a clear timetable regarding these allegations has not been shared, recent developments strengthen expectations in this direction. As a matter of fact, the company terminated the employment of hundreds of employees, especially in the Reality Labs unit, following the reports in question.

However, Meta entered 2026 with a similar restructuring move. The company decided to close three virtual reality studios by narrowing down its activities in the metaverse space. Although this step does not mean that Meta has completely ended its investments in the metaverse, it does indicate that resources will be directed to more selective projects. In addition to all this, it is noteworthy that the company has started to follow a more focused strategy on the hardware and software side.

The steps taken by Meta recently are considered as a reflection of the changing priorities in the technology sector. The acceleration of artificial intelligence investments is leading companies to reconsider their expenditures in different areas. Meta similarly shifts its resources to areas where it sees higher return potential. Although the cuts made in the workforce during this period attract attention, the company’s effort to create a more balanced structure in terms of its long-term goals stands out.