Meta lays off 10% of its 78,000-strong workforce, moves 7,000 into AI roles

Meta laid off about 8,000 workers from a workforce of about 78,000. The layoffs followed an earlier announcement that 6,000 open positions would not be filled. Workers in North America were told to work from home as the layoffs occurred. Meta told the affected employees that it would reduce headcount to run the company more efficiently and offset other investments. Meta reported 77,896 employees at the end of March. Mark Zuckerberg told employees that no other companywide layoffs were expected this year. Some remaining employees were set to move into new roles, including about 7,000 focused on AI workflow initiatives. Concerns about workplace surveillance related to AI were raised by some employees before the layoffs.

"Meta said that “we have decided to reduce headcount as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we're making,” according to Business Insider. The company’s workers in North America were told to work from home, coinciding with the layoffs, according to Reuters. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg told employees internally Wednesday that “we do not expect other companywide layoffs this year,” according to Reuters."

"Meta Chief People Officer Janelle Gale told employees in the memo, according to Reuters, that some people still on the job will move into new roles. Gale said 7,000 employees would be assigned to AI workflow initiatives. The company had 77,896 employees at the end of March, according to Reuters. Meta laid off about 8,000 workers on Wednesday among its 78,000-person headcount."

"Prior to the layoffs, some Meta workers voiced concerns about artificial intelligence tracking them while they worked. One anonymous employee told The San Francisco Standard that “if you're on a work machine, you are probably being surveilled. ... The sort of unapologetic, 'we're training your replacement, and we're not paying you more for it' approach is just another signal of how little Meta cares about the humans that it employs.”"

"After being axed Wednesday, the same employee told the outlet, “I did indeed get laid off. It is a huge financial bummer, but the rest of it is honestly great. I'm definitely relieved.” Meta laid off about 8,000 workers on Wednesday among its 78,000-person headcount. The move was first announced last month along with news that 6,000 open positions would not be filled, according to The Associated Press."

Read at The Washington Times