Meta cuts jobs amid AI push
Meta announced hundreds of layoffs this week as it reorganizes toward an "AI-native" strategy—leadership is also set to cash in large stock awards even as headcount shrinks. The shift is being framed as prioritizing AI investments for 2026 while compressing some human roles across product teams (ibtimes.co.uk).
Meta began cutting roughly 700 jobs on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, as part of a fresh round of workforce reductions reported across the company. (bloomberg.com) The layoffs were reported to hit Reality Labs, Facebook/social media teams, recruiting, sales and global operations, according to people familiar with the matter. (money.usnews.com) Meta employed nearly 79,000 people at the end of 2025, and the latest round was described as affecting fewer than 1,000 roles overall. (techcrunch.com) The company is forecasting record capital expenditures in 2026, with AI-related spending and data‑center builds projected between $115 billion and $135 billion. (cnbc.com) SEC filings show Meta granted performance‑tied restricted stock units and stock options on March 24, 2026, to senior leaders including CFO Susan Li, CTO Andrew Bosworth, CPO Chris Cox, COO Javier Olivan, President Dina Powell McCormick and CLO Curtis Mahoney. (money.usnews.com) The option awards require META shares to reach about $1,116.08 for the initial tranche (≈88% above the March 24 close) and as high as $3,727.12 for the most aggressive tranche, with performance targets set to be met by Feb. 14, 2028 and remaining awards vesting in installments through Aug. 15, 2030; unexercised options expire in March 2031. (computing.net) Company statements and multiple reports say some affected employees were offered other roles or relocation options, while earlier 2026 cuts in Reality Labs removed roughly 10% of that unit—more than 1,000 positions—in a prior round. (bloomberg.com)
