Meta announces fresh restructuring
The company plans layoffs alongside a major AI-focused overhaul
Meta is set to carry out another major restructuring exercise this week as the company pushes aggressively into artificial intelligence, with around 7,000 employees being shifted into AI-related roles while fresh layoffs hit thousands more workers globally.
According to an internal memo seen by Reuters, the Facebook parent company plans to cut nearly 10 per cent of its workforce while simultaneously reorganising teams around AI-driven operations and flatter management structures.
Meta pushes major AI overhaul
The memo, sent by Meta Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, informed employees that the company would move thousands of workers into new AI-focused initiatives while also eliminating managerial positions.
“As org leaders worked on the changes, many of them incorporated AI native design principles into their new org structures,” Gale wrote.
“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.”
Meta employees in North America were also instructed to work from home during the layoff process.
20 per cent workforce impact expected
Reuters had earlier reported that Meta planned to lay off around 10 per cent of its workforce this week, with additional cuts expected later this year.
Combined with internal transfers and closed job positions, the restructuring is expected to impact nearly 20 per cent of Meta’s overall workforce.
The company had nearly 78,000 employees at the end of March, according to corporate filings.
Meta has also reportedly shut down around 6,000 open positions as part of the restructuring process.
Employees shifted to AI units
The transferred employees are being reassigned to teams working on AI agents and automation technologies.
Some of the initiatives include:
- Applied AI Engineering (AAI)
- Agent Transformation Accelerator (ATA) XFN
- Central Analytics
- Enterprise Solutions
The teams are focused on developing AI systems capable of autonomously performing tasks currently handled by human employees.
The restructuring forms part of Meta’s broader effort to integrate AI across products and internal workflows.
Employee backlash grows
The company’s plans have sparked growing frustration among employees.
According to Reuters, more than 1,000 workers have signed a petition opposing the installation of mouse-tracking software intended to help train Meta’s AI systems to replicate human computer interactions.
Employees have also criticised executives over privacy concerns and the company’s silence regarding layoffs.
Some workers reportedly flooded Meta’s internal Workplace platform with images of elephants, referencing the “elephant in the room” amid mounting speculation about job cuts.
AI-linked layoffs spread across tech sector
Meta’s restructuring reflects a broader trend across major technology companies increasingly replacing or redesigning roles around artificial intelligence systems.
Several US tech giants have announced AI-focused restructuring, automation projects and workforce reductions over the past year as competition intensifies in the AI sector.
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