Mark Zuckerberg’s AI comment raises fresh questions about jobs at Meta: Here’s what he said

When Mark Zuckerberg spoke during Meta’s latest earnings call, he did not announce job cuts. Still, his comments around AI and productivity have sparked fresh questions about how companies may structure teams going forward. Also Read: A single Musk megacompany? SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI could be heading for a merger

What Zuckerberg said about AI and work

During the call, Zuckerberg said that artificial intelligence tools inside Meta are now enabling individuals to handle work that previously required much larger teams. According to him, AI-assisted systems, especially in software development, are helping engineers move faster and take on more complex projects. Also Read: WhatsApp is testing a subscription model, and it’s not about ads

“We’re starting to see projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person,” Zuckerberg said. He added that Meta’s focus is on attracting people who know how to use these tools effectively and can deliver outsized impact. Also Read: OpenAI may be building a social network where bots aren’t welcome

AI spending is going up

Meta’s confidence in AI is also reflected in its spending plans. The company said it intends to increase its AI-related investment by around 70% this year. This follows gains in output per engineer reported in 2025, much of which Meta credits to agentic coding tools that assist with writing, testing, and managing code.

Zuckerberg said these tools are no longer limited to basic suggestions and are increasingly involved in active development work, changing how engineers operate day to day.

What Meta says about jobs

The idea of smaller teams naturally raises concerns about layoffs, especially given the tech industry’s recent history. Meta’s leadership addressed this during the call. Chief financial officer Susan Li said the company is still hiring in certain areas.

According to Li, Meta ended the December quarter with a workforce that was about 6% larger than a year earlier. Hiring has continued in areas such as monetisation, infrastructure, regulation, compliance, and Superintelligence Labs. She also noted that competition for skilled workers remains strong.

This is not just a Meta trend

Meta is not alone in rethinking team structures. Zuckerberg has spoken before about flatter organisations moving faster. Similar moves have been seen elsewhere. Late last year, Sundar Pichai said Google had reduced management roles by around 10%.

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Outside big tech, companies like Walmart, Wayfair, and Block have shifted managers back into hands-on roles. Amazon recently announced plans to cut 16,000 corporate jobs, while startups have openly discussed building large businesses with very small teams. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also said AI could allow solo founders to scale companies faster than before.