Meta's Layoff Wave Continues, Now 200 Employees Dismissed

Technology company Meta has once again conducted layoffs. This time, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram is cutting around 200 employees in the Silicon Valley area, California, United States. Based on documents submitted to California’s labour authorities, 124 positions in Burlingame and 74 positions in Sunnyvale will be eliminated. This workforce reduction is scheduled to take effect at the end of May 2026. This move adds to the long list of mass layoffs carried out by Meta. Previously, at the end of March 2026, the company also reduced staff impacting several teams, such as recruitment, sales, operations, and the Reality Labs division. Some affected employees are said to have been offered other positions within the company, although some would need to relocate. A previous Reuters report indicated that Meta could also conduct larger layoffs, up to 20 percent of its total workforce. If realised, this would be the largest cut since the 2022-2023 period, when Meta reduced around 11,000 employees, equivalent to 13 percent of its total staff. Amid these efficiency measures, Meta is still opening vacancies for several strategic positions. As of the end of 2025, Meta’s employee count was around 79,000 people, an increase of about 6 percent compared to the previous year. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously stated that the company is now beginning to reduce team sizes and rely on artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve work efficiency. According to him, several jobs that previously required large teams can now be handled by individuals with AI support. “I think 2026 will be the year when AI starts to dramatically change the way we work,” said the man familiarly known as Zuck. This budget is projected for AI infrastructure development, such as servers and data centres. On the other hand, Meta’s operational costs are also estimated to increase by around 40 percent, partly driven by rises in technical staff salaries. Despite the layoffs, Zuckerberg remains aggressive in recruiting talent in the AI field since 2024. One of those who joined is Alexander Wang, appointed as chief AI officer to lead Meta Superintelligence Labs. “If possible, we are seeking other opportunities for employees whose positions are affected,” said a Meta spokesperson, quoted by KompasTekno from The Times of India.