Meta has shared new details about the scale of its latest layoffs in California as part of its effort to cut nearly 10% of its global workforce and redirect resources toward artificial intelligence. The company will let go more than 2,000 employees across its California offices, including 2,200 workers at its Menlo Park headquarters and 74 employees at its Playa Vista office in Los Angeles. The figures were disclosed through filings submitted to California state authorities.
AI investments driving workforce changes
The Facebook and Instagram parent company first announced plans to reduce around 8,000 jobs globally in May. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said the cuts are aimed at improving efficiency and helping fund the company’s growing investments in artificial intelligence. Meta is spending heavily on AI infrastructure, advanced chips and new AI products as it competes with rivals such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic.
New AI products at the centre of Meta’s strategy
Meta has been rapidly expanding its AI efforts. In April, the company introduced a new AI system called Muse Spark, which it described as a “personal superintelligence” capable of handling complex tasks such as answering questions from images, helping with coding and processing information across Meta’s platforms. The company sees AI as a key part of its future growth strategy.
The restructuring is not limited to California. New filings show Meta plans to eliminate nearly 1,400 jobs across Washington state beginning July 22. Bellevue will see the largest impact, with 699 employees affected, followed by Seattle, Redmond and remote workers across the state. The layoffs span several roles, including software engineers, data scientists, content designers and IT staff.
Employees affected by the latest round of layoffs were notified in May and will remain on payroll until their departure dates in July. In a message to staff, Zuckerberg said he does not expect any additional companywide layoffs during 2026. At the end of March, Meta employed nearly 78,000 people worldwide.
AI reshaping the tech industry
Meta’s job cuts are part of a trend across the technology sector. Companies are increasingly restructuring teams around AI and automation while reducing headcount in other areas. According to Layoffs.fyi, more than 111,000 tech workers have lost their jobs across 147 companies so far this year. Software giant Intuit has also announced significant layoffs, cutting thousands of jobs as it reorganises around AI-driven priorities.