Meta is weighing what would be the largest layoffs in its history, with cuts potentially affecting one in five employees, Reuters reported on Friday, citing three people familiar with the matter.
The company employs roughly 72,000 people. A 20% reduction would eliminate more than 14,000 positions, exceeding the approximately 11,000 jobs cut in late 2022 and the further 10,000 eliminated in early 2023.
According to Reuters, the planned reductions reflect two converging pressures: the soaring cost of AI infrastructure and an expectation that AI-assisted workflows will allow the company to operate with fewer staff. Meta has committed to spending up to $65bn on capital expenditure this year, the bulk of which is directed toward AI data centres and related infrastructure.
No timeline has been set and the magnitude of the cuts has not been finalised, the sources said. Meta has not publicly confirmed the plans.
