• by Colin Kirkland , 2 hours ago

Meta has laid off several hundred employees across various divisions including sales, recruiting and the Reality Labs department as the technology giant continues to funnel more money into the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to a report from TechCrunch, Meta’s cuts will affect under 1,000 employees across the U.S. and multiple international markets, some of whom may be offered a position within a different team or geographic location.

“Where possible, we are finding other opportunities for employees whose positions may be impacted,” a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch on Wednesday, adding that restructuring is common within Meta as the company readjusts its overall strategies.

At the start of 2026, Meta made plans to slash its Reality Labs spending and laid off roughly 10% of its staff within the metaverse and wearables division, or about 1,500 employees.

Earlier this month, unnamed sources shared with Reuters that top executives recently signaled plans to other senior leaders at Meta regarding another wave of job cuts -- potentially higher than 20% of the total 79,000-person staff.

The layoffs come as Meta directs more of its money into its artificial intelligence ambitions, which involves investing heavily in AI chips, top talent, data centers, and strategic acquisitions, including the recent purchase of AI agent and social media platform Moltbook.

“We're starting to see projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on an earnings call with analysts in January, referencing Meta’s aggressive hiring pursuits as well as the company's plans to increase AI spending by at least 60% in 2026.

By the end of this year, Meta expects to make between $115 and $135 billion in capital expenditures, a record for the company