In a surprising turn of events, Meta’s AI unit stands at the center of layoffs. New reports suggest that Meta is slashing AI-centric jobs, with around 600 employees expected to leave the organization’s burgeoning artificial intelligence team. While layoffs have become an expected part of the 2025 strategy, the announcement comes as a surprise as the company was rumored to have spent the majority of the year rapidly hiring workers with AI expertise to build its AI tools.
For the most part, the company doesn’t appear to be letting go of the top experts that it recruited at great cost, choosing to instead fire employees on the lower rungs of the organization. As Meta slashes AI jobs, it becomes apparent that the search for AI-proof careers isn’t easy, even for workers with AI-backed resumes.
The Meta layoffs in the AI division are aimed at addressing bloated numbers, with similar cuts in the organization’s risk assessment team. (Image: Pexels)
Meta AI Layoffs Set to Target 600 Employees to Reduce “Bloated” Numbers
Over the last year, Meta has been determined to grow its AI product offerings and secure a position at the top of the AI industry, establishing its Superintelligence Labs team to make the dream a reality. This process has involved the poaching of talent from other organizations like Apple and OpenAI, offering exorbitant pay and benefits to workers to lure them in.
While initial reports stated that these efforts had been unsuccessful, the company did manage to recruit a collection of top experts. With Meta’s job cuts in the AI unit, it is reported that the majority of these expensive hires in the TBD Labs division are not expected to be affected by the cuts.
Which Teams Will Be Affected by Meta’s AI Unit Layoffs?
The Meta job cuts in the AI unit were announced in a memo from Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, an AI expert in his own right. Wang was previously brought on from Scale AI when Meta made a whopping $14.3 billion investment in the company and hired Wang and some of his team members to oversee the growth of Superintelligence Labs, Meta’s primary AI endeavor.
According to insider insights from CNBC, the layoffs in Meta’s AI division will target employees across Meta’s AI infrastructure units, the Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research unit (FAIR), and other product-related positions. The reason for Meta’s AI team cuts? A bloated workforce that makes heavy demands on limited resources.
Reports suggest that after the formation of the Superintelligence Labs, Meta’s AI unit proved to be overinflated, often competing for computing resources and holding up work. The layoffs should allow Meta to reduce unnecessary layers within the business and function with a smaller but more dedicated team of workers.
What Else Do We Know About the Layoffs Within Meta’s AI Division?
Meta has already begun the process of notifying the affected workers regarding the change in their employment status. The company informed at least a few employees of their termination, with November 21 set as their last working day at the organization.
While employees will remain on the company payroll until the aforementioned date, they will lose access to the company’s internal systems and will no longer be required to actively work for the business. The company indicated that employees could use that time to find another role at Meta if they desired.
As for the severance promised to workers, they can expect to receive 16 weeks of severance pay, along with two additional weeks for every year of service completed at the organization, minus their notice period.
Meta Replaces Workers with Automated Tools in Its Risk Organization
Meta’s AI team cuts aren’t the only emerging reports of downsizing at the business. The company is reportedly laying off workers in its risk assessment division as well. Not only that, the decision is driven by Meta’s automation of these jobs with AI tools. The division largely oversees the company’s products and services to ensure that they meet regulations from across the globe. It was established after Meta was presented with a $5 billion fine by the FTC over its shortcomings in privacy assessments.
Despite growing complaints with regard to its paltry attempts at privacy and security, the company is now turning to AI tools for automating some of its compliance review process. The company, however, clarified that AI wasn’t directly making the decisions on risk factors.
“We’re not using AI to make decisions on risk,” Meta Vice President of Policy Rob Sherman explained in a post. “Instead, the rules are applied using automation, reducing time experts need to spend on the ratified decisions, while increasing reliability because there’s less room for human error.”
The Job Market Stands Chaotic and Uncertain
Will retention emerge as a key organizational goal in 2026? That remains to be seen. While the official numbers on the state of the job market remain unavailable, there has been a distinct rise in job cuts witnessed this year, with layoffs taking up various shapes and sizes to deal the same results. From federal workers to employees in the private sector, many have been pushed out of work, straight into a job market that isn’t keen on hiring.
With Meta’s automation of some jobs and reduction of others, it’s easy to see why employees are losing hope of being able to safeguard their employment through hard work. With the Meta layoffs affecting the AI teams just as much as other employees, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the real threat isn’t AI, but the shifting attitude towards reorganization efforts as the go-to strategy for growth.
Have any insights to share regarding the layoffs at Meta’s AI unit? Share your thoughts with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.
