Meta to lay off 8,000 employees on May 20; Internal memo reveals AI restructuring plans

Meta, the social media giant, is planning a major workforce reduction this week as it plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI). On May 18, the company shared an internal memo detailing the restructuring , including its layoff plans, scheduled for May 20.

According to a Reuters report, Meta told employees that teams could be affected globally, and not in the US. In the memo, it revealed that it plans to cut 10% of its workforce, which may affect nearly 8000 employees. The company also plans to restructure how teams work so the company can operate more efficiently around AI development and AI-powered products.

Meta also highlighted that layoffs may not stop there, and more employees could lose jobs in future rounds.

Must read: Meta staff protest over activity tracking tool amid privacy concerns

Meta layoff 2026

Alongside 10% workforce reduction, Meta Chief People Officer ‌Janelle Gale also informed employees that the company plans to reassign around 7,000 employees to projects that focus on AI development, AI tools, or AI-driven operations instead of their current roles. Furthermore, Meta plans to remove some managers and middle-management positions, which may create fewer layers of supervision.

Gale said, “As org leaders worked on the changes, many of them incorporated AI native design principles into their new org structures.” “We’re now at the stage where many orgs can operate with a flatter structure with smaller teams of pods/cohorts that can move faster and with more ownership,” she added.

Must read: Oracle revokes placement offers, IIT Kanpur fresher says he 'hit rock bottom right at the finish line'

These staff will reportedly be shifted to Meta’s Applied AI Engineering (AAI) and Agent Transformation Accelerator (ATA) XFN teams, which were announced by CTO Andrew Bosworth as part of Meta's "AI for Work" efforts. With the expanded efforts, the company plans to use AI not just in consumer products but also internally to improve productivity, automation, and efficiency.

Gale also highlighted a new initiative by the company called “Enterprise Solutions,” which is said to be revealed soon.

In an earlier memo, Gale informed employees that it is closing an additional 6,000 open roles as part of its restructuring process. Reportedly, Meta has 77,986 employees by the end of March, and the company expects to cut 20% of its workforce this year.