Meta begins layoffs, 8,000 jobs on the line

Meta has begun its latest round of global layoffs, with nearly 8,000 employees expected to lose their jobs as the tech giant pushes ahead with an aggressive artificial intelligence-focused restructuring.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led Meta is cutting around 10% of its workforce, impacting roughly 8,000 employees across regions. According to reports, workers in Meta’s Singapore hub were among the first to be notified, receiving layoff emails at 4 am local time on May 20.

A Bloomberg report said the emails were sent at 4 am local time in Singapore, or 1:30 am IST, signalling the start of what is expected to be a phased global rollout based on time zones.

The company had around 78,000 employees globally before the latest layoffs and internal reassignments.

Employees told to work from home

Previous reports suggested Meta would notify impacted employees in multiple waves. Staff in the US, Britain and several other regions were reportedly asked to work from home as the layoff process began.

In an internal memo, Meta Chief People Officer Janelle Gale said the company would not only eliminate 8,000 roles but also reassign around 7,000 employees into new AI-native teams.

She also indicated Meta would reduce managerial positions and move toward flatter structures with smaller teams designed to operate faster and with greater autonomy.

“We're now at the stage where many orgs can operate with a flatter structure with smaller teams of pods/cohorts that can move faster and with more ownership,” Gale said in the memo.

The latest cuts are expected to hit engineering and product teams hardest, with reports suggesting more layoffs could follow later in 2026.

As part of the restructuring, Meta has also reportedly closed around 6,000 open job positions.

Anxiety rises as morale drops

Meta first confirmed the planned job cuts last month after details leaked publicly, triggering anxiety and uncertainty among employees. Reports said morale had dropped sharply, with some workers jokingly stocking up on free snacks and laptop chargers ahead of the May 20 layoffs.

In recent weeks, the company has also faced internal backlash over reports that it introduced software to monitor employees’ mouse movements and keystrokes to help train AI systems. More than 1,000 employees reportedly signed a petition opposing the move.

AI at the centre of Meta’s strategy

Zuckerberg has made AI Meta’s top strategic priority as the company races to compete with rivals including Google and OpenAI.

Last month, Meta said it plans to spend between $125 billion and $145 billion this year, with most of that investment directed toward AI infrastructure and development.

Meta’s cuts mirror a wider trend across the tech industry, where companies are reshaping workforces to prioritize AI. Cisco recently announced 4,000 job cuts, while Microsoft and Amazon have also unveiled layoffs or voluntary exit programmes in recent months.