Meta’s Layoffs in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

This past month has been tense for employees at Meta. The company announced that 8,000 workers, equating to 10% of their workforce, would lose their jobs on May 20 as part of Meta’s transformation to an AI-focused company. Following this, 7,000 more employees were notified they would be reassigned to new AI positions.

On Wednesday, the layoffs commenced, beginning in Singapore at 4 a.m. local time. Notification emails reached staff in Britain, the United States, and other regions in their respective time zones. Many workers began exchanging solemn messages online and referred to the internal directory to determine which colleagues were affected. On internal forums, employees reacted to the layoffs by posting salad emojis, a symbol of a salute. Some people, including a recent hire from the past month, were reportedly let go, as shared by two individuals familiar with the situation.

Meta’s offices were largely vacant that Wednesday. Earlier, Janelle Gale, head of human resources, advised staff to work from home. In the office, fliers urging opposition to Meta’s new data-tracking program for AI training were noticeable, according to eight employees. Some workers searched the building for snacks and chargers, uncertain if they would still have jobs by week’s end, according to several employees who chose to remain anonymous due to fear of repercussions.

The situation at Meta—owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—highlights how layoffs occur during the rise of AI. Job cuts under the pretext of adopting this rapidly advancing technology are increasing. Tech firm employees seemingly are creating their own AI substitutes. For instance, Cisco recently declared plans to slash 4,000 jobs while refocusing on AI. Similarly, Microsoft, Block, and Coinbase recently announced layoffs or buyouts related to this shift.