Meta will begin laying off 10 per cent of its global workforce starting Wednesday, 20 May, as part of a sweeping reorganisation designed to flatten its management structure and accelerate its pivot toward artificial intelligence, according to multiple reports. The cuts are among the most significant in the company's history and signal a decisive shift in how the social media giant intends to operate going forward.

Scale of the Cuts

According to reports, Meta plans to close approximately 6,000 open positions and restructure teams across the organisation. When transfers and role changes are factored in, the total disruption could affect roughly 20 per cent of its current workforce. Based on Meta's headcount of nearly 79,000 employees as of 31 December, the direct job losses could touch approximately 16,000 people.

The AI-Native Restructuring Rationale

The company reportedly aims to eliminate several managerial layers and reorganise teams into leaner, 'AI-native' structures — smaller units intended to speed up decision-making and reduce bureaucratic drag. This is not merely a cost-cutting exercise; it reflects a strategic repositioning of Meta's operating model around artificial intelligence as its core competitive axis. The restructuring comes as the company continues to pour resources into its AI infrastructure and large language model development.

Employee Backlash and Internal Protests

The overhaul has triggered visible pushback from staff. Some employees staged protests at company offices, while others posted complaints on Meta's internal communications platform, Workplace. Separately, more than 1,000 staff members have signed a petition opposing new mouse-tracking software the company is deploying to train AI systems, citing concerns over employee privacy.

Broader Tech Layoff Wave in 2026

The Meta cuts are part of a wider reckoning across the global technology sector. According to reports, more than 80,000 tech jobs were eliminated in the first quarter of 2026 alone, with total losses this year projected to exceed 3 lakh. Oracle leads all companies globally in layoffs this year, having cut more than 25,000 roles as part of its own AI infrastructure push. Amazon has also featured prominently in the list of major job cutters.

A report by TradingPlatforms noted that the current wave builds on a post-pandemic correction that has now claimed over one million tech jobs globally since 2021, as companies recalibrate after the aggressive hiring surge of the Covid era. Notably, nearly half of all layoffs in 2026 are linked to AI-related restructuring, underscoring how automation is reshaping employment across the industry. The United States remains the worst-affected market, accounting for nearly 77 per cent of global tech layoffs so far this year — more than 61,000 job cuts across 62 companies.

What Comes Next

For affected Meta employees, the process formally begins on 20 May, though the full timeline for completing the restructuring has not been publicly disclosed. Industry observers will watch whether the leaner, AI-focused structure delivers the productivity gains Meta is projecting — or whether the loss of institutional knowledge and the internal unrest slow execution at a critical moment in the AI race.