Meta Employees Face Layoffs Amid A.I. Shift

Over the past month, employees at Meta have faced uncertainty. In April, they were informed that 8,000 employees, accounting for 10% of the workforce, would be laid off. The decision aims to align the company with the emerging artificial intelligence era. This Monday, another 7,000 workers learned they would transition to roles focusing on new A.I. projects.

The layoffs commenced Wednesday, starting in Singapore. Emails were sent at 4 a.m. local time to inform employees of their job status. Notifications followed in Britain, the United States, and other regions during the early hours Wednesday their local time.

As the layoffs unfolded, many employees communicated through remote channels, sharing somber messages. They accessed the internal directory to determine which team members were affected. On Meta’s internal platforms, employees reacted to the news using salad emojis as a symbol of respect. Sources revealed at least one person hired within the last month was also laid off.

On Wednesday, Meta’s offices were largely vacant. Janelle Gale, head of human resources, had advised staff to work from home this week. Across office walls, flyers displayed a petition against Meta’s plan to monitor employee data for A.I. training purposes. Eight employees reported this information. Some took advantage of free snacks and laptop chargers from the office on Monday, anticipating they might lose access soon.

Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, showcases the impact of layoffs in the context of A.I. advancements. Layoffs in tech sectors are accelerating as companies prioritize artificial intelligence initiatives. Some tech workers have noted the phenomenon of creating A.I. replacements for themselves. For example, last week, Cisco announced plans to cut 4,000 jobs to reallocate resources to A.I. Similarly, Microsoft, Block, and Coinbase announced reductions or buyouts related to this technology shift.