Mark Zuckerberg ‘feeling weight of’ mass layoffs at Meta, says ‘success isn’t a given’ in memo
Meta laid off nearly 8,000 employees — about 10 percent of its global workforce — on Wednesday as it shifted resources to artificial intelligence targets. As the ax fell on Meta employees, starting in Singapore around 4 a.m., CEO Mark Zuckerberg sent an official email to his employees, addressing the layoffs and thanking those who were laid off for their work. That note was also somewhat reassuring to those left behind after massive layoffs; No further layoffs were expected this year.
Mark Zuckerberg wrote: “Success is not guaranteed. Artificial intelligence is the most important technology of our lifetime.” “Companies that lead the way will define the next generation,” he added, trying to reassure those left behind.
‘I feel your weight’ – Zuckerberg
Referring to the layoffs, Mark Zuckerberg said, “It is always sad to say goodbye to our mission and the people who contributed to building this company.”
“I feel the weight of this.”
Zuckerberg said he did not expect additional company-wide layoffs this year and acknowledged that the company had failed to communicate with staff.
He struck an optimistic tone about the company’s direction, saying Meta was “one of the few companies positioned to help define the future” and reaffirmed its goal of delivering “personal superintelligence” to users around the world.
“This is the most dynamic thing I’ve seen in our industry. We’re transforming our company to ensure it’s always the best place for talented people to make the biggest impact,” he said.
The restructuring is the biggest round of companywide cuts since Zuckerberg’s 2022-2023 “Year of Productivity” campaign, which eliminated nearly 21,000 positions.
The move comes as Meta significantly increases spending on AI infrastructure.
How did the layoffs happen at Meta?
Early Wednesday, Meta began sending emails to employees who were laid off as part of previously announced and anticipated restructuring plans aimed at cutting costs as the company invests heavily in artificial intelligence.
The company started notifying employees at around 4am (Singapore time). US-based staff received news in the morning. Just before termination emails were sent to selected employees, company staff were encouraged to work from home.
Meta on Monday shifted nearly 7,000 employees to newly created teams focused on AI initiatives, including products and reps.
Will cost reduction pay off?
Although Meta framed the layoffs as an opportunity to “offset” the cost of some major AI investments, analysts at Evercore estimate the cuts will save only about $3 billion. But Meta’s estimated spending this year could be as high as $145 billion as it doubles down on its AI push, with additional hundreds of billions of dollars the company expects to spend on AI infrastructure before the end of the decade.
