Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is reportedly planning significant layoffs that could affect up to 20 percent of its global workforce, Reuters reported. Sources familiar with internal discussions say the company is exploring cuts as it seeks to offset rising costs from artificial intelligence investments and increase efficiency through AI-assisted workflows. No official date has been set, and the exact scale of the reductions has not been finalised.
Meta employs nearly 79,000 people worldwide, including around 1,800 staff in Ireland. A spokesperson for Meta Ireland described the reports as “speculative reporting about theoretical approaches,” and it remains unclear how any layoffs would impact the company’s Irish operations. Irish employees were previously affected by job cuts announced in January 2025, when Meta reduced its global workforce by around 5 percent, targeting lower-performing staff. Earlier rounds of redundancies in Ireland occurred in November 2022 and May 2023, cutting a total of roughly 840 roles.
If the current plan proceeds, it would be Meta’s largest workforce reduction since the restructuring in 2022 and 2023, which the company called its “year of efficiency.” CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pushing the company to compete more aggressively in generative AI and has indicated that AI tools could allow small teams, or even a single skilled engineer, to complete projects that previously required large groups.
Over the next several years, Meta plans to invest $600 billion to build new data centres, reinforcing its AI infrastructure. These investments are intended to expand the company’s generative AI capabilities, including new AI research initiatives and advanced computing capacity.
Meta’s moves reflect a wider trend across the US technology sector, where companies are recalibrating their workforces amid growing adoption of AI tools. Earlier this year, Amazon announced plans to cut 16,000 jobs globally, including around 300 roles in Ireland. Financial technology firm Block reduced nearly half of its workforce last month, explicitly citing AI-driven efficiencies as a key factor.
Analysts say these changes highlight a broader shift in the industry, as companies reassess staffing needs in light of rapid automation and AI integration. Projects that once required large teams can now be delivered by smaller groups supported by AI, creating both opportunities and challenges for employees.
For Meta, the proposed layoffs mark a critical juncture in its transition from a social media platform to a company heavily focused on AI-driven operations, a shift that could reshape its global workforce in the years ahead.
