Mark Zuckerberg in internal memo to employees: Not expecting company-wide layoffs this year

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg clarified in an internal memo on May 20 that no additional company-wide layoffs are planned for the rest of 2024, following a major restructuring that eliminated 8,000 jobs globally. The cuts, which began as early as 4 AM local time in Singapore, affected multiple departments, with Meta’s Head of People, Janelle Gale, explaining the shift toward smaller, flatter teams to boost productivity and ownership. The restructuring also involved reassigning 7,000 employees to newly formed AI-focused teams, prioritizing Meta’s competition with rivals like Google and OpenAI. Zuckerberg confirmed the company will invest over $100 billion in AI-related capital expenditures this year alone, signaling a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence. Days before the layoffs, employees were instructed to work from home as Meta executed its workforce changes. The company faced criticism for limited transparency, including a revelation that employee computers were being used to train AI models without prior detailed disclosure. In an all-hands meeting, Zuckerberg defended the practice, stating it was ‘not strategically in [employees’] interest’ to share full details upfront. Morale had reportedly declined ahead of the layoffs, with Zuckerberg acknowledging in his memo that Meta had failed to communicate effectively. The memo also emphasized the company’s commitment to improving internal transparency moving forward, despite the significant workforce reductions.