Meta to Cut 10% of Global Workforce, Approximately 8,000 Staff, Amid AI Investment
Meta, Facebook's parent company, plans to cut 10% of its global workforce, approximately 8,000 staff, while increasing AI investments. The impact on its 1,800 Irish employees is unclear. This follows previous redundancies in 2022 and 2023, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg anticipates AI transforming operations by 2026.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is set to reduce its global workforce by 10%, affecting approximately 8,000 employees. The specific impact on Meta's Irish operations, which currently employ around 1,800 individuals, remains undisclosed.
A spokesperson for Meta Ireland declined to comment on the specifics of the job cuts but confirmed the accuracy of a Bloomberg article that initially reported the global layoffs. The reductions were detailed in an internal memo to staff, which also indicated that the company would not fill thousands of previously open positions.
These layoffs coincide with Meta's increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI). Last month, 15 jobs within the company's Irish operations were identified as being at risk due to AI adoption. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously stated that 2026 is projected to be the year AI significantly transforms the company's operational methods, with investments in AI tools leading to the «flattening of teams». In January, Mr. Zuckerberg noted, «We're starting to see projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person.»
Irish-based Meta staff have faced previous redundancy announcements. In January of last year, the company announced cuts affecting approximately 5% of its «lowest performing» global staff. Prior to that, Meta eliminated around 840 jobs in Ireland through redundancy rounds in November 2022 and May 2023.