Meta is laying off 10 percent of its staff

Source: The Verge

Overview

Meta is planning to lay off around 10 percent of its employees in May, according to a memo from the company’s chief people officer, Janelle Gale, published by Bloomberg (link).
That translates to roughly 8,000 jobs and the closure of about 6,000 open roles.

Background

• The cuts come after Meta’s significant investments in AI, including large hiring efforts (The Verge) and the construction of new data centers (Reuters).
• In January, Meta forecast capital expenditures of $115 billion to $135 billion for 2026, up from $72.22 billion in 2025, to support its “Meta Superintelligence Labs” and core business (press release).
• Earlier in the year, Meta announced layoffs affecting hundreds of employees in recruiting, social media, and sales teams, as well as cuts impacting about 10 percent of its Reality Labs division (The Verge – layoffs, Reality Labs layoffs).

Company Statement

“We are doing this as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making. This is not an easy trade‑off and it will mean letting go of people who have made meaningful contributions to Meta during their time here.” — Janelle Gale

Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton confirmed that Bloomberg’s report was accurate but declined to provide further comment.

Timeline

• May 20: Affected staffers will be notified. Gale noted the uncertainty this creates for employees and said details will be shared later in May.
• Reuters reported that Meta is targeting May 20 for the first wave of layoffs, with additional cuts planned for the second half of 2026 (link).
• In March, Reuters wrote that Meta was considering laying off 20 percent or more of the company (link).

References

• Bloomberg article on the layoff plan
• The Verge coverage of AI investments and earlier layoffs
• Reuters reports on the upcoming May 20 layoffs and broader restructuring plans
• Meta’s 2026 capital‑expenditure forecast press release