Meta Plans Major Job Cuts Starting May 20 — Thousands More Could Follow
Source reference: Reuters, April 17, 2026
Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, is gearing up to begin one of its biggest rounds of layoffs in recent history. According to people familiar with the matter, the first wave of cuts is scheduled for May 20, 2026 — and it won’t stop there.
In this opening round alone, roughly 8,000 employees are expected to lose their jobs, which works out to about 10% of Meta’s entire global workforce. Further job cuts are also being planned for the second half of the year, though the exact timing and number of people affected have not yet been finalized.
Notably, insiders say company executives may still adjust these plans depending on how quickly artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve — meaning the scale of cuts could shift.
Why Is Meta Doing This?
The short answer: AI. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pouring enormous amounts of money into artificial intelligence, and the company is now restructuring itself around that technology. The vision is a leaner organization — fewer management layers, more automation, and workers powered by AI tools.
In recent weeks, Meta already began reorganizing its Reality Labs teams and quietly moved engineers across the company into a brand-new unit called “Applied AI.” This team’s job is to build AI systems that can independently write code and handle complex tasks on their own. Some employees are also being shifted to a newly created division called Meta Small Business, launched just last month.
This Is Bigger Than It Looks
These upcoming layoffs would mark Meta’s most significant workforce reduction since 2022–2023, when the company cut around 21,000 positions during what Zuckerberg himself called the “Year of Efficiency.” Back then, the situation was more desperate — Meta’s stock was struggling and pandemic-era growth had not held up.
This time, the financial picture is very different. Last year, Meta pulled in over $200 billion in revenue and walked away with a $60 billion profit, even while spending heavily on AI. Shares are up nearly 4% since the start of this year, though they remain below the all-time high recorded last summer.
A Broader Tech Trend
Meta is far from alone. The tech industry has been shedding jobs at a steady pace throughout 2026. Job tracking site Layoffs.fyi reports that over 73,000 tech workers have already been let go this year. Amazon similarly trimmed about 30,000 corporate employees in recent months — nearly 10% of its white-collar staff. Fintech firm Block went even further, cutting nearly half its workforce. In each case, company leaders pointed to AI-driven efficiency as the driving reason.
What’s Next?
Meta has declined to comment publicly on the timing or size of the planned cuts. But with May 20 approaching fast, tens of thousands of employees are now in a period of uncertainty — waiting to find out if their roles will survive the company’s AI-first transformation.
Based on reporting by Reuters (April 17, 2026). All figures sourced from Reuters and Layoffs.fyi.
When exactly will Meta start laying off employees?
The first round of layoffs is scheduled to begin on May 20, 2026. Additional cuts are expected in the second half of the year, though specific dates for those have not been confirmed yet.
How many people will Meta lay off in total?
The first wave alone is expected to affect around 8,000 employees — roughly 10% of Meta’s global workforce. Earlier reports suggested the total cuts this year could reach 20% or more of the workforce, which would mean over 15,000 jobs eliminated overall.
Will Meta continue hiring after the layoffs?
Even while cutting jobs, Meta has been actively hiring in generative AI and AI agents, which has become the company’s primary area of focus. CNBC So while thousands are being let go, a smaller number of specialized AI roles are being added at the same time.