Meta to Reduce 600 Roles in AI Unit
- tech360.tv
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Meta is reducing its workforce by approximately 600 positions within its Superintelligence Labs, aiming to enhance the artificial intelligence unit's flexibility and responsiveness. The Facebook owner's decision affects a fraction of the several thousand roles in the division.
These reductions specifically impact the Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) unit, as well as teams working on product-related AI and AI infrastructure.
The newly established TBD Lab, which comprises a few dozen researchers and engineers developing Meta's next-generation foundation models, remains unaffected by the cuts.
Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang stated that a smaller team would streamline decision-making, while increasing the responsibility, scope, and impact of each role.
Meta is encouraging affected employees to seek other opportunities within the organisation.
Separately, Meta recently finalised a USD 27 billion financing agreement with Blue Owl Capital. This represents the company's largest private capital deal, intended to fund its most significant data centre project.
Analysts suggested this agreement could enable Meta to pursue its substantial AI ambitions by transferring much of the upfront cost and risk to external capital, while retaining a smaller ownership share.
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram reorganised its AI initiatives under Superintelligence Labs in June following senior staff departures and a poor reception for its open-source Llama 4 model.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg personally directed an aggressive hiring spree for the unit, aiming to revitalise Meta's AI efforts.
Superintelligence Labs encompasses Meta's foundations, product, and FAIR teams, in addition to the TBD Lab, which focuses on developing the company's next generation of AI models.
Meta began investing in AI in 2013, establishing the FAIR unit and recruiting Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun to lead the initiative. This effort also involved building a global research network focused on deep learning.
Meta is cutting approximately 600 roles within its Superintelligence Labs.
The job reductions affect the FAIR unit, product-related AI teams, and AI infrastructure teams.
The newly formed TBD Lab, focused on next-generation AI models, is not impacted.
Source: REUTERS