Meta Announces Global Restructuring, AI Integration Drives Layoffs
- tech360.tv
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Meta detailed global layoff plans and organisational changes aimed at improving its artificial intelligence workflows. These changes are part of a far-reaching overhaul, with deep cuts to the workforce planned.
The Facebook owner plans to lay off 10% of its employees, with additional cuts expected later this year. Chief People Officer Janelle Gale stated Meta intends to move 7,000 employees to new AI-related initiatives and eliminate managerial roles.
This restructuring reflects a broader pattern of AI-linked job reductions among major U.S. companies, particularly within the tech sector. The company is surging its AI investments to center AI agents in product offerings and internal work approaches. Many leaders have incorporated AI native design principles into new organisational structures.
The layoffs and transfers will impact about 20% of Meta's workforce in total. Some transfers have already occurred, while other employees will be notified on Wednesday. Meta has also closed an additional 6,000 open roles.
Employees are being transferred, or "drafted," to new initiatives like Applied AI Engineering (AAI) and Agent Transformation Accelerator (ATA) XFN. CTO Andrew Bosworth previously announced these teams as part of Meta's "AI for Work" efforts. Central Analytics is also a transfer destination, aiming to measure productivity and analytics for agent development.
These initiatives aim to develop AI agents capable of autonomously performing tasks currently carried out by human staffers. Details on another new initiative, Enterprise Solutions, are expected soon. Employees have protested these moves with flyers at company offices and posts on the internal communications platform, Workplace.
More than 1,000 employees have signed a petition against mouse-tracking software used to train Meta's artificial intelligence models. This software helps models replicate human interaction with computers. Employees have criticised executives for dismissing privacy concerns and remaining silent about layoff plans for more than a month after Reuters first reported them.
Employees responded to executive posts on Workplace with pictures of elephants, urging them to address the unaddressed layoff plans, which employees referred to as the elephant in the room. The headcount at the social media giant stood at 77,986 employees at the end of March.
Meta is implementing global layoff plans and organisational changes to enhance its artificial intelligence workflows.
The restructuring includes laying off 10% of employees, transferring 7,000 staff to new AI initiatives, and closing 6,000 open roles.
The changes are part of a broader AI overhaul, integrating AI agents into product offerings and internal work processes.
Source: REUTERS
