Meta is preparing to lay off 20% of its global workforce – over 15,000 employees – to fund what industry analysts are calling "the most aggressive AI investment strategy in tech history," according to a March 14 Reuters report. The move comes as the social media giant shifts focus from its metaverse ambitions to artificial intelligence infrastructure development.
Strategic Pivot Accelerates
Since late 2025, Meta has redirected resources toward AI research and data center construction, with plans to spend $600 billion by 2028. The company's 2026 capital expenditure forecast of $115-$135 billion represents a 60% increase from last year's investments.
From Metaverse to Machine Learning
The restructuring follows January's 10% staff reduction in Meta's Reality Labs division, which develops VR products. CEO Mark Zuckerberg now prioritizes the "Meta Superintelligence Lab," reportedly offering multimillion-dollar packages to recruit top AI researchers globally.
While no final decision has been announced regarding the scale of layoffs, internal documents reviewed by Reuters show executives are preparing for the company's largest workforce reduction since its 2022-2023 "year of efficiency" cuts that eliminated 21,000 positions.
