Meta plans to lay off up to 20% of its employees due to rising AI costs.

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, is reportedly planning to lay off 15,800 employees, or 20% of its total workforce, to further its investment in AI.

Exclusive: Meta planning sweeping layoffs as AI costs mount | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/meta-planning-sweeping-layoffs-ai-costs-mount-2026-03-14/

Meta is reportedly laying off up to 20 percent of its staff | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/business/895026/meta-laying-off-20-percent

Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with Meta, that 'Meta is planning large-scale layoffs that could affect more than 20% of its workforce in preparation for expensive AI infrastructure investments and the increased efficiency that AI-assisted workers will bring.' According to the sources, the timing of the layoffs by Meta has not yet been decided, nor has the scale of the layoffs been finalized.

According to two sources, Meta executives have hinted to other senior executives about a workforce reduction plan and instructed them to begin formulating how to do so. The sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of the workforce reductions.

In November 2022, Meta laid off 11,000 employees, representing 13% of its workforce.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, announced he would lay off 11,000 employees, about 13% of the company's workforce, admitting he 'misjudged the growth trend of e-commerce' - GIGAZINE

by Anthony Quintano

Furthermore, four months later, in March 2023, they laid off another 10,000 employees.

Meta announces it will cut 10,000 jobs, its second such cut since November 2022 - GIGAZINE

Since then, Meta has implemented smaller layoffs and closed VR studios , but the reported 'layoff of 20% of employees' could affect approximately 15,800 employees, making it the largest layoff since March 2023.

Meta has largely abandoned its VR and metaverse businesses, instead investing heavily in acquiring AI talent , building data centers , and acquiring AI companies like Moltbook.

Meta acquires AI agent social network 'Moltbook' - GIGAZINE

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg commented on these investments, saying, 'Projects that previously required large teams can now be accomplished by one highly talented individual.'

Amazon has announced it will cut approximately 16,000 jobs, which is about 10% of its total workforce, and fintech company Block has also announced it will lay off more than 4,000 employees, which is about half of its total workforce.

Block, the parent company of payment service Square, led by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, has temporarily laid off 40% of its employees - GIGAZINE