Meta’s workforce changes were announced Thursday as the company continues to expand its spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure and adds AI-focused staff. The company said the layoffs will affect about 8,000 workers—about 10% of its workforce—and that it is pursuing the reductions to improve efficiency while enabling investments elsewhere in the business.
In a separate step, Meta also said it is planning voluntary buyouts for eligible employees in the United States. The company said it expects to make the offers in early May to about 8,750 people, representing about 7% of its U.S. workforce.
Meta said the approach is intended to give the workforce flexibility while the company reorganizes around its AI strategy. The cuts are tied in the reporting to the same cost-pressure that has accompanied broader industry shifts toward costly AI infrastructure and compensation packages for AI expertise.
The buyout planning was described as being carried out alongside a hiring slowdown. Reporting attributed to two people familiar with the plan said Meta will leave about 6,000 jobs unfilled, suggesting the company intends to reduce net headcount while it funds new initiatives and sustains AI-related buildout costs.
Outside investors weighed in on the layoffs and efficiency push. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives welcomed Meta’s cuts in a note to investors, saying he sees them as part of a strategy that uses AI tools to automate tasks that once required large teams, allowing the company to streamline operations and reduce costs while maintaining productivity and moving toward a leaner operating structure.
Meta, based in the United States, has said it is increasing its spending commitments tied to AI systems. The company’s expansion includes ongoing investment in data-center infrastructure and efforts to staff AI teams at high pay levels, according to the reporting.
Separately, CNBC reported earlier Thursday on a memo from Microsoft’s chief people officer, Amy Coleman, describing the voluntary retirement plan. Coleman wrote, according to CNBC: “Our hope is that this program gives those eligible the choice to take that next step on their own terms, with generous company support.”