Meta Suddenly Lay Off 8,000 Employees
New Delhi: Meta has launched another major round of layoffs, impacting nearly 10 per cent of its global workforce as the company accelerates its investment in artificial intelligence. Employees in countries including the US, Singapore and the UK reportedly received work-from-home instructions before discovering termination emails in their inboxes early in the morning.
The move has sparked criticism online, with many workers expressing concern over the sudden communication and the growing uncertainty across the tech industry.
Around 8,000 employees are believed to be affected by the layoffs. Before the latest restructuring, Meta employed close to 78,000 people globally.
The company’s engineering and product divisions were among the hardest hit. At the same time, Meta is reportedly redirecting resources and talent toward AI-focused operations.
According to the internal communication shared by Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, the company wants leaner teams with fewer management layers and more direct responsibility for employees.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly emphasised the company’s AI-first strategy in recent months. Reports suggest Meta plans to invest between USD 125 billion and USD 145 billion this year, with a large portion expected to support AI infrastructure, advanced computing systems and automation technologies.
As investment in machine learning grows, several traditional roles across the company are being reduced or eliminated.
The atmosphere inside Meta reportedly became tense even before the layoffs were announced. Employees began backing up files and preparing for possible exits after rumours of job cuts spread internally.
Concerns also intensified after reports surfaced that Meta was testing employee monitoring tools capable of tracking keystrokes and mouse activity. More than 1,000 employees reportedly signed petitions opposing the surveillance measures.
Meta is not alone in restructuring its workforce. Companies including Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle and Cisco have also announced job cuts while increasing investments in automation and AI systems.
Industry experts believe the shift is permanent, with future tech jobs expected to focus heavily on AI tools, automation management and intelligent systems.
