Meta planning massive layoffs next month, around 8,000 jobs at risk
Meta may cut around 8,000 jobs starting May as part of restructuring and increased focus on artificial intelligence.
Published By: Shubham Arora | Published: Apr 18, 2026, 12:26 PM (IST)
Meta is reportedly preparing for another round of layoffs, with the first phase expected to begin next month. According to a report by Reuters, the company may cut a significant portion of its workforce as part of a broader restructuring plan.
This comes at a time when most large tech companies are focusing on artificial intelligence and trying to reduce operational costs at the same time. While Meta has not officially confirmed the details, the scale of the expected cuts has already started drawing attention.
First round of layoffs expected in May
The report suggests that Meta could begin layoffs around May 20. In the first round, the company is expected to cut around 10 percent of its global workforce, which roughly comes to about 8,000 employees.
This may not be a one-time thing either. There are chances of more layoffs later in the year, but there isn't much clarity yet on how big those cuts will be or when exactly they will happen.
Meta has not commented on the exact plans yet.
What is driving these cuts
A large part of this move is linked to Meta's growing focus on artificial intelligence. The company has been investing heavily in AI infrastructure and tools, which has increased overall spending.
At the same time, Meta is also cutting down layers and keeping teams tighter. The idea is to run things with fewer people, while AI takes care of some of the work.
This is not limited to Meta. Other companies like Amazon have also announced job cuts in recent months while expanding their AI efforts.
Internal changes already underway
Alongside the layoffs, Meta has already started reorganising some of its teams. Engineers are being shifted to a new Applied AI team, which is working on building systems that can handle more complex tasks on their own.
There have also been changes in divisions like Reality Labs, along with the creation of new teams focused on small business tools.
These shifts indicate that the company is trying to align more closely with its long-term AI plans.
Not the first major round of cuts
This is not the first time Meta has gone through large layoffs. Back in 2022 and 2023, the company cut over 20,000 jobs as part of what it called its "year of efficiency".
At that time, the focus was on correcting over-hiring and slowing growth after the pandemic. Unlike the earlier layoffs, this time the company is not really under financial pressure. The shift looks more about adapting to AI and how work is expected to change in the coming years.
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