Meta layoffs continue, job cuts hit 200 employees as per filings with Employment Development Department – The Times of India
Mark Zuckerberg‘s Meta is cutting more jobs. Meta is laying off hundreds of employees in Silicon Valley as the tech giant heavily invests in artificial intelligence (AI). Meta is slashing hundreds of employees in Silicon Valley as the tech giant heavily invests in artificial intelligence and weighs axing over 20% of its workforce. Two filings with California’s Employment Development Department this week showed Meta plans to eliminate 124 jobs in Burlingame and 74 in Sunnyvale. As per State filings, the layoffs were scheduled to take effect in late May and are permanent. The reductions add to roughly 700 job cuts across Meta announced in March this year, affecting teams in recruiting, sales, operations and its Reality Labs division. The March layoffs at Meta follow earlier job reductions at the social media giant, including roughly 1,500 positions eliminated in its Reality Labs division in January 2026. Some affected employees are being offered alternative roles within the company, though certain positions may require relocation, one person told the Information.The job cuts come as CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushes aggressively into artificial intelligence, saying earlier this year: “I think 2026 is going to be the year that AI starts to dramatically change the way that we work.” Zuckerberg has said Meta is flattening teams and leaning on AI tools to boost productivity.In the past few months, Meta has increased its spending on AI, projecting between $115 billion and $135 billion in capital expenditures this year. The roughly 75% jump in Capital Expenditure from the prior year is largely tied to AI infrastructure. Much of that spending is reportedly earmarked for data centers, servers and other infrastructure needed to power advanced AI systems. Meta has also forecast a roughly 40% increase in operating expenses, driven in part by higher compensation tied to hiring technical talent. Mark Zuckerberg has been on a hiring spree since almost January 2024. One of the company’s highest-paid hires is Alexander Wang.
Meta on layoffs
Responding to layoffs, a Meta spokesperson said in a statement, “Teams across Meta regularly restructure or implement changes to ensure they’re in the best position to achieve their goals.” It added, “Where possible, we are finding other opportunities for employees whose positions may be impacted.” Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, employed about 79,000 people at the end of 2025. The company claims that it is still hiring for critical roles and that its headcount as of December 31, 2025 was 78,865 — a 6% increase year-over-year.
Report claims 20% cut in workforce
In March this year, a report in Reuters claimed that Meta is weighing layoffs that could impact at least 20% of its workforce. The report added that the timing and size of the potential layoffs have not been finalized. If the company were to slash 20% of its employees, the layoffs will be Meta’s largest layoffs since 2022 and early 2023. Meta laid off 11,000 workers in November 2022, around 13% of its workforce at the time, Reuters reported.On its part, Meta spokesperson has termed this report as speculative, saying “This is a speculative report about theoretical approaches.”