Meta may be preparing for one of the most significant rounds of layoffs in its history. According to a report from Reuters, the social media giant is considering cutting approximately 20% of its workforce. While the report indicates that neither a specific date nor the final headcount has been officially set, the scale of the potential cuts suggests a major restructuring of the company’s internal operations.
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The news comes despite Meta’s strong financial performance in the previous fiscal year. As of December 31, 2025, the company reported a total headcount of 78,865 employees. During the fourth quarter of that year, revenue reached nearly $60 billion, contributing to an annual total exceeding $200 billion.
Despite these high figures, top executives have reportedly instructed senior leaders to begin “planning how to pare back” operations. A Meta spokesperson has characterized these claims as “speculative reporting about theoretical approaches,” yet the tech industry remains on edge given the company’s recent history of downsizing.
Meta has undergone several waves of staff reductions over the past two years:
- Reality Labs: Earlier this year, roughly 1,000 employees were cut from the division responsible for Meta’s virtual reality and metaverse initiatives.
- General Reductions: In early 2025, the company laid off approximately 5% of its staff across various departments.
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While Meta is trimming its workforce, it is simultaneously investing billions into the AI sector. The company has recently acquired several high-profile startups to bolster its position in the autonomous agent market. Notable acquisitions include Moltbook, a social network designed specifically for AI agents, and Manus, a startup dedicated to AI-driven task automation.
This “efficiency” drive appears to be a strategic reallocation of resources, shifting capital away from legacy projects and middle management toward the rapid development of generative AI and autonomous systems.
