Meta continues to push artificial intelligence hard. According to reports, the company is going to shift 7,000 employees to AI-based teams while reducing up to 8,000 positions in the coming weeks. The move reflects the company’s aggressive drive towards AI in face of growing competition in both technology and social media space.
According to sources, Meta has shared news about the changes on Monday, May 18, 2026. The firm is planning to move thousands of employees to four new organizations focused on developing AI systems, applications, and tools. The teams will reportedly use “AI native design structures” and have less managers than other Meta organizations do.
Meta’s AI Initiative Is Going Full Force
As you probably know, Meta has been investing billions of dollars in artificial intelligence as it seeks to gain a leading position in the next phase of digital technologies. So far, the company has managed to integrate AI into various aspects of its platforms such as content recommendation algorithms, advertising tools, automation, creators’ services, and AI assistants.
The current restructuring demonstrates that AI is becoming an integral part of the company’s future operations and strategies. As you may recall, many tech firms are using AI to make processes more efficient and cost-effective and automate tasks that were performed manually by humans.
About 8,000 Meta Positions Will Be Cut
At the same time, Meta plans to reduce around 8,000 positions. The move will help the firm cope with rising infrastructure expenses related to AI development. As you may remember, Meta already had to lay off thousands of employees from its Reality Labs division early this year.
Over the past few years, Reality Labs was responsible for AR, VR, and metaverse-related projects. However, the division is currently facing growing challenges as the firm redirects much of its efforts to AI.
For years, Meta’s future prospects have been tied to the metaverse. But as AI becomes a priority for the majority of tech companies, Meta is allocating more money and resources to build next-generation AI infrastructure, AI assistants, automation solutions, and social media features.
Zuckerberg Hinted That AI Would Replace Some Technical Roles
Notably, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently stated that companies developing AI would be able to produce systems capable of performing mid-level engineer functions in a few months. Such systems will be able to develop software.
Clearly, Meta’s recent decisions reflect the idea mentioned by Zuckerberg. By shifting thousands of employees to new AI divisions and cutting thousands of positions, Meta aims to become more efficient and dependent on AI systems.
Impact on Social Media
The decision could have a huge impact on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp, and advertising services offered by Meta.
In the future, we might see more use of AI in:
- Ad tool development
- Automation of business support
- Content recommendation algorithms
- Creator tool development
- Content moderation
- AI assistants and chatbots
- AR glasses and hardware product improvement
Marketing professionals, content creators, and business owners should expect to receive more powerful AI-based features for their marketing and business needs.
The Big Picture
Meta’s recent move demonstrates how fast artificial intelligence is changing the social media industry. While working hard on developing innovative AI-based products, Meta is transforming its internal operations and using AI to reshape its workforce.
Surely, the decision could help Meta reduce expenses and accelerate development of AI technologies. However, the move raises serious concerns about the future of tech jobs due to AI advancements.
We will know more about the layoffs and restructuring once the company provides additional details.