Meta Moves 7,000 Employees to AI Teams, Cuts 10% of Workforce

Meta is deepening its commitment to artificial intelligence through a major organisational restructuring that will move thousands of employees into AI-focused roles while reducing headcount across other areas of the business.

According to reports, the company is reallocating around 7,000 employees into AI-related positions and consolidating them into four new organisations. The changes form part of a broader restructuring expected to affect approximately 10% of Meta’s workforce. Plans include laying off roughly 8,000 employees and leaving around 6,000 vacant positions unfilled.

The restructuring was first outlined in an internal memo circulated in April. In the document, Meta said the move is intended to improve operational efficiency while freeing resources for strategic investments, particularly in artificial intelligence.

The company acknowledged the difficult nature of the decision, noting that the changes would affect employees who had made meaningful contributions to the organisation.

AI Becomes the Central Focus

The latest restructuring underscores Meta’s growing emphasis on AI as it scales back activity in other parts of the business. The company continues to invest heavily in artificial intelligence across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, while reducing resources in selected non-core areas.

Reports indicate that at least five departments will be affected by the latest round of changes, including Reality Labs, Facebook social teams, sales, recruiting and global operations. The workforce adjustments follow a series of organisational changes introduced over the past several years as Meta seeks to streamline operations and sharpen its strategic focus.

During the company’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Susan Li highlighted AI as a key priority, describing it as a significant factor in Meta’s product development roadmap and long-term growth plans.

Investment in AI Infrastructure Continues to Rise

Meta’s commitment to artificial intelligence is also reflected in its spending plans. In April, the company increased its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to between $125 billion and $145 billion, up from a previous estimate of $115 billion to $135 billion.

The increase was driven largely by higher spending on computing infrastructure and data centre capacity required to support expanding AI workloads and future product development.

While Meta continues to invest aggressively in artificial intelligence, investors remain cautious. The company’s shares have declined this year, reflecting broader concerns about the scale of AI spending and the time required to generate meaningful returns from those investments.

Nevertheless, Meta appears determined to place artificial intelligence at the centre of its future strategy, betting that long-term gains in productivity, innovation and user engagement will justify the substantial investment required.