Meta has confirmed plans to eliminate around 8,000 roles, representing roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, as the company accelerates spending on artificial intelligence.

The announcement was delivered to staff on Thursday via an internal memo, signaling a major restructuring effort as the Facebook owner redirects resources towards AI-driven growth. The reductions are scheduled to take effect from 20 May, while a further 6,000 previously approved vacancies will no longer be filled.

Chief People Officer Janelle Gale acknowledged the disruption caused by the decision, stating that while the update would create uncertainty among employees, the company believes the move is necessary under current conditions. She explained that the job cuts are intended to streamline operations and help balance the substantial financial commitments Meta is making in artificial intelligence.

Employees affected by the layoffs will receive severance packages that include a minimum of 16 weeks of base salary, along with an additional two weeks for each year of service. The company will also provide extended healthcare benefits and career transition assistance.

The decision follows earlier indications that Meta was preparing significant workforce reductions as it pivots towards next-generation computing and automation technologies. At the beginning of the year, the company employed close to 79,000 people, making this one of the most substantial rounds of cuts in its history.

Recent months have already seen reductions across several areas of the business, including layoffs within the Reality Labs division and performance-related departures. These measures form part of a broader shift towards leaner teams supported by advanced technology.

Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has significantly increased investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, including data centres, servers and sophisticated models designed to rival competitors. He has previously indicated that AI will play a transformative role in how the company operates, suggesting that by 2026 the technology will begin to fundamentally change working practices.

Within the organisation, staff have been encouraged to integrate AI tools into their daily tasks, including coding and content creation, as Meta seeks to improve efficiency through automation.

However, the company’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence has prompted concern among employees. Some have raised objections to new monitoring systems introduced to collect workplace data and train AI models. These tools track activity such as keystrokes, cursor movement and on-screen behaviour, leading to unease about privacy and oversight.

Meta’s move reflects a wider trend across the technology sector, where companies are reducing headcount as artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent. Industry data suggests the US technology sector has experienced its weakest start to the year since 2023.

According to a recent report by Challenger, Gray and Christmas, there were 52,050 job losses in the sector during the first quarter of 2026, marking a 40 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. Artificial intelligence was cited as a major contributing factor, accounting for 15,341 redundancies, or 25 per cent of the total. This figure has risen sharply from 10 per cent in February.

Other major firms have taken similar steps. Oracle announced thousands of job cuts in March while managing declining share performance and increased borrowing linked to AI investment. Earlier in the year, Amazon revealed plans to remove 16,000 corporate roles, with indications that automation and AI systems would take over many of those responsibilities.