Meta is cutting 10% of its workforce — approximately 8,000 employees out of a total of 78,000 — in a layoff round set for April, CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed in an internal Q&A. The move marks another wave of job cuts at the social media giant, and Zuckerberg squarely blamed soaring spending on artificial intelligence hardware and data centers.

“We basically have two cost centers in the company,” Zuckerberg said, according to The Wall Street Journal. “There’s [compute and infrastructure] and there’s people-oriented things, and if we’re investing more in one area to serve our community, then that means that we have less capital to basically allocate to the other. So that means that we do need to take down the size of the company somewhat.”

Background: AI Spending Surge and Efficiency Push

The layoffs come as Meta pours billions into data centers, GPUs, and chips needed to power its AI ambitions. Zuckerberg pointed out that teams which once required 50 to 100 employees can now operate with just 10, making larger headcounts counterproductive. “If a team used to take 50 or 100 people and now it takes 10 — having 50 or 100 people on that team can actually be counterproductive going forward. So I think we need to fix that,” he said.

Employee morale has plummeted. Data from Blind, reviewed by Fast Company, shows negative sentiment about Meta on the anonymous workplace platform quadrupled since 2024. When asked for comment, Meta referred to its latest earnings call, where CFO Susan Li emphasized the company is “very focused on leveraging AI tools” to boost productivity and is still figuring out its future “optimal size.” Li also noted that layoffs will lower employee compensation costs compared with last quarter, but those savings will be offset by restructuring costs this year.

Quote from Meta's Chief People Officer

During the same Q&A, Meta’s chief people officer, Janelle Gale, was asked directly whether more cuts are coming. “Will there be more layoffs? The question always comes up. I’d love to say that there are no more layoffs, but I can’t say something we can’t deliver,” Gale said, as reported by Business Insider. “While the business is strong, priorities change, competition is fierce, and we will continue to manage our costs responsibly.” Gale said the company will “continue to evolve teams as needed” and try to redeploy talent.

What This Means

Meta’s shift signals a permanent restructuring toward AI infrastructure and a smaller, more automated workforce. The company expects to build more new apps — Zuckerberg said Meta has historically built “four or five big apps” but now wants to create “a lot more.” That ambition will rely heavily on AI tools and lean teams, further reducing the need for large staff. For employees, the message is clear: job security is fragile, and headcount will continue to shrink as the company pivots to expensive hardware and software that can do more with fewer people.

The layoffs also reflect broader tech industry trends, where firms like Google and Microsoft have similarly cited AI spending as a reason for cost-cutting. With Meta forecasting lower compensation costs but higher restructuring expenses, the near-term outlook for workers remains uncertain. As Gale’s comments hinted, more layoffs — though not guaranteed — are distinctly possible if priorities shift or competition intensifies.