Meta Allegedly Contemplating a Significant 20% Workforce Reduction
Meta Platforms is allegedly contemplating layoffs that could impact up to 20 percent of its workforce, according to multiple sources cited by Reuters. The proposed cuts, which would affect approximately 15,800 employees based on the company’s headcount of 78,865 as of December 31, 2025, could mark the largest restructuring in Meta’s history.
The layoffs are reportedly intended to counterbalance the enormous costs associated with Meta’s ambitious thrust into the realm of artificial intelligence infrastructure. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been escalating spending on AI, with the company budgeting between $115 billion and $135 billion for AI infrastructure in 2025. This includes investments in data centers, proprietary chips, and high-profile talent acquisitions.
Senior leaders at Meta have reportedly been directed by top executives to commence planning for significant personnel reductions. However, neither the exact timing nor the final numbers have been finalized. A spokesperson for Meta described the reports as “speculative reporting about theoretical approaches,” but did not dismiss the possibility outright.
If these cuts are implemented, they would exceed Meta’s previous “Year of Efficiency” layoffs from 2022-2023. During this period, the company eliminated 11,000 jobs in November 2022 and an additional 10,000 in March 2023. This move mirrors broader trends in the tech industry, where companies are citing AI-driven efficiency gains and the need to fund costly AI infrastructure as reasons for workforce reductions.
Source: TechCrunch