Meta First Asked Employees To Work From Home — Then Sent Cold Layoff Emails at 4 AM: Internal Memo Leaked
Meta announced layoffs affecting 10% of its 78,000-strong workforce, with 8,000 employees receiving termination emails as early as 4 AM local time in Singapore, citing AI investments and restructuring. An internal memo by Chief People Officer Janelle Gale framed the cuts as necessary to fund AI infrastructure, including $125–145 billion in capital expenditures by 2026, while employee morale and compensation have declined amid record profits and workplace surveillance concerns.
Meta Platforms initiated its latest round of layoffs on May 20, 2026, terminating approximately 8,000 employees—about 10% of its workforce of nearly 78,000. Employees in Singapore received termination emails as early as 4 AM local time, while others globally were informed later in their respective time zones, with engineering and product teams most impacted. The layoffs follow a leaked internal memo from Meta’s Chief People Officer, Janelle Gale, attributing the cuts to the company’s aggressive AI expansion. Gale stated the reductions were necessary to 'run the company more efficiently' and fund investments, including $125–145 billion in capital expenditures by 2026, primarily for AI data centers, custom silicon, and model training. Analysts estimate the layoffs will save around $3 billion, a fraction of Meta’s AI spending. The job cuts are part of a broader restructuring, with 7,000 employees reassigned to AI-focused teams and 6,000 open roles eliminated, affecting roughly 20% of Meta’s workforce. Gale noted that organizational changes incorporate 'AI-native design principles,' shifting to flatter structures with smaller, faster-moving teams. This marks Meta’s fourth layoff round in 2026, following earlier cuts in Reality Labs, recruiting, and sales. Despite the layoffs, Meta reported record profits in Q1 2026, with $56.31 billion in revenue and $26.8 billion in net income, a 33% year-over-year increase. Employee morale remains strained, as median total compensation dropped from $417,400 in 2024 to $388,200 in 2025 due to reduced stock-based raises. Former employees described chaotic scenes ahead of prior layoffs, with workers hoarding office snacks and supplies. Tensions have risen further due to Meta’s implementation of the Model Capability Initiative, a workplace surveillance tool deployed in April. The software captures keystrokes, mouse movements, clicks, and screenshots across hundreds of apps to train AI agents. Over 1,000 employees signed a petition demanding its removal, citing concerns over privacy, consent, and workplace trust. The initiative has intensified anxieties amid already low morale and financial uncertainty.
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