Meta layoffs: Internal memo reveals plan to cut 10% workforce, move 7,000 employees to AI departments

Meta is restructuring its workforce with a 10% global reduction starting May 20, affecting nearly one in five employees, according to an internal memo from Chief People Officer Janelle Gale. The company will shift 7,000 employees into AI-related initiatives while eliminating several managerial roles, aiming for a flatter organizational structure with smaller, faster-moving teams. The memo outlines plans to reorganize large parts of Meta around AI work, including new teams like Applied AI Engineering and Agent Transformation Accelerator XFN, led by Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth. These groups will focus on developing AI agents capable of performing tasks independently. Another team, Central Analytics, will measure productivity and analyze AI system performance. Meta has already halted 6,000 open job positions amid the restructuring, with the company employing 77,986 workers globally as of March. Employees in North America were instructed to work from home on May 20 to prepare for the changes, as Reuters previously reported additional layoffs are expected later this year. Workers have protested the layoffs, criticizing Meta’s use of mouse-tracking software to train AI systems that mimic human computer behavior. Over 1,000 employees signed a petition raising privacy concerns, while others accused leadership of remaining silent on the plans for weeks after initial reports. The restructuring reflects Meta’s broader push to integrate AI across its products and internal systems, investing heavily in AI agents designed to operate without direct human involvement. Gale noted that many organizational leaders incorporated AI-focused principles into their new structures, emphasizing speed and ownership in smaller teams.