Meta and Microsoft: Thousands of Layoffs to Boost AI

Meta Reduces Workforce to Invest in AI

Meta recently announced a major decision that will affect approximately 8,000 employees, or 10% of its workforce. This downsizing is part of a strategy aimed at redirecting the company's resources towards the development of artificial intelligence. The announcement was made this Thursday, highlighting the growing importance of AI for Meta's future.

In an internal memo circulated the same day, Meta confirmed that these layoffs would take effect as early as next month. Affected employees, working on major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, will be informed of their departure by May 20.

A Restructuring for AI

Meta's human resources management explained that these layoffs are intended to offset other ongoing investments. Although the memo did not explicitly mention artificial intelligence, it is clear that this restructuring aims to absorb the costs associated with this technology. Meta has indeed intensified its efforts in the field of AI, particularly with its Meta AI features.

For the year 2026, Meta plans to invest between $115 billion and $135 billion in its AI infrastructure, which represents almost double the investment spending of the previous year. CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes that certain projects can now be carried out by highly skilled individuals, thereby reducing the need for large teams.

This wave of layoffs is part of a series of workforce reductions already undertaken by Meta. Between 2022 and 2023, approximately 21,000 positions were eliminated. In January 2025, an additional 3,600 employees were affected, followed by over 1,500 layoffs since the beginning of 2026, particularly within the Reality Labs division. After these adjustments, Meta is expected to return to a workforce size similar to that of 2023, with around 70,000 employees.

Additionally, Meta has decided to abandon its recruitment plans for nearly 6,000 positions initially considered in the coming months.

Microsoft and Other Tech Giants

Meta is not the only tech giant taking such measures. Microsoft has also announced to its employees that a voluntary retirement program will be offered to about 7% of its U.S. workforce, or nearly 125,000 people. CEO Satya Nadella justified this decision by the productivity gains already observed thanks to AI.

Nadella emphasized that artificial intelligence can now handle up to 30% of programming tasks, which was announced as the company claims to have a larger AI operation than some of its historical divisions.

Other companies, such as Amazon and Oracle, have also implemented workforce reductions. These decisions are linked to their technological investment efforts, highlighting a general trend in the industry to prioritize AI at the expense of certain traditional jobs.