Key Points:
- Meta is preparing major layoffs. The company will lay off about 8,000 employees, which is about 10% of the entire team. The wave of layoffs is scheduled for May 20.
- At the same time, Meta has frozen another 6,000 open positions. So, new people are also not being hired for now.
- The company explains this as an attempt to increase efficiency and reallocate resources. The main focus now is on investments in artificial intelligence.
Such decisions are not unique. Layoffs amid the development of AI are already becoming a trend across the entire tech sector.
A similar step is being taken by Microsoft. The company plans to offer voluntary retirement to about 7% of its employees in the US.
Meta Layoffs in 2026 Will Affect 10% of Employees
The upcoming layoffs were announced by Chief People Officer Janelle Gale. An internal memo with details has already been sent within the company. At the same time, Meta is freezing hiring and will not be filling about 6,000 open positions.
“We are doing this to work more efficiently and offset other investments,” Gale wrote.
These will be the largest layoffs since 2023. Back then, Meta laid off 11,000 people in November 2022, and a few months later cut another 10,000 employees. This year, there have already been two rounds, eliminating about 2,000 positions in total.
See Also: Intel Beats Forecasts: Revenue $13.6 Billion, Profit Above Expectations
According to Reuters, this may not be the end. Sources say the company is considering another wave of layoffs in the second half of the year. There are no exact dates or scale yet.
Much will depend on the development of artificial intelligence technologies. Management may adjust plans depending on how quickly the market changes.
Microsoft Offers Voluntary Departure for 7% of US Employees
Microsoft is launching a voluntary layoff program. It will affect about 7% of employees in the US.
This is the first such step in the company's entire 51-year history.
The program is described in an internal memo. Employees at the senior director level and below will be able to participate. There is a condition. The sum of age and years of service at the company must be at least 70.
Those who meet the criteria will be informed of the details with their managers on May 7.
Overall, the market continues to restructure. A wave of layoffs is sweeping the entire tech sector.
At the beginning of the month, Oracle cut about 30,000 employees. Amazon, Block and a number of crypto companies have also taken this path.
The reason is largely related to the development of AI. Companies are actively reallocating resources and revising team structures.
Moreover, the changes affect not only business. Governments are also joining the race.
For example, the UAE plans to transfer half of government agencies, services, and operations to AI agents within two years.
