Meta considers mass layoffs as it ramps up AI spending: Report

New Delhi, March 14
US tech giant Meta Platforms is reportedly considering another large round of layoffs as it seeks greater operational efficiency with more spending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

A Reuters report, citing people familiar with the matter, said that internal discussions have considered cuts of up to 20 per cent or more of Meta’s workforce, or 16,000 employees based on the company’s headcount of nearly 79,000 at the end of December.

While Meta's spokesperson Andy Stone described the report as "speculative reporting about theoretical approaches", the report said that no final decision has been made about the scale or timing of the layoffs.

The report claimed that senior executives have signalled potential workforce reductions to other leaders and asked teams to assess how operations could be streamlined. At the reported scale, the move would be Meta’s largest restructuring since the company cut over 21,000 jobs collectively in 2022 and 2023 in a cost‑cutting drive.

The reported layoffs come as CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushes the company to compete more aggressively in generative AI space.

Morgan Stanley in a recent report had suggested that long-term impact of AI on jobs may be less severe than many expect.

According to the report, while some roles will be automated, most workers are unlikely to be permanently left behind. Instead, many are expected to shift into new types of jobs, including roles that do not yet exist. The bank said artificial intelligence will change the nature of work rather than eliminate it entirely.

Several tech industry leaders have said that most white‑collar roles that rely on computers could be automated within the next 12 to 18 months

US tech giant Oracle plans to cut 20,000 to 30,000 jobs to expand its AI data‑centre capacity, while Amazon recently announced lay off 16,000 employees as part of its AI restructure plan.