Meta schedules first layoff wave for May 20
Meta has targeted May 20 for the opening round of a workforce reduction that will eliminate roughly 8,000 positions, representing approximately 10% of the company's total headcount, Reuters reported exclusively. The company is planning additional cuts later in 2026, suggesting the restructuring will extend well beyond a single round.
The move follows Meta's stated strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence, with the company publicly reshaping employee roles to align with that priority. The layoffs are companywide rather than confined to specific divisions, according to reporting from Reuters and The Information.
Meta has conducted significant workforce reductions before. In late 2022 and into 2023, the company cut more than 20,000 jobs as part of what chief executive Mark Zuckerberg labelled a "year of efficiency." The current round, while smaller in absolute terms, signals that headcount discipline remains a standing policy rather than a one-time correction.
The timing, shortly after Meta's first-quarter earnings cycle, gives management a defined window to communicate the changes to affected employees and investors simultaneously.
