Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is preparing for another round of layoffs next week, while simultaneously accelerating hiring for machine learning engineers and other AI-driven roles. Internal company memos, reviewed by Reuters, confirm that termination notices will be sent out starting February 11.
According to Meta’s Head of People, Janelle Gale, affected employees in the United States and most other regions will begin receiving notifications from 5 a.m. local time on Monday. However, Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands will be exempt due to local labour laws. Employees in over a dozen other European, Asian, and African countries will receive updates between February 11 and February 18.
Unlike previous large-scale layoffs, Meta’s offices will remain open, and no company-wide updates are expected on the day of termination.
The latest round of job reductions follows Meta’s confirmation last month that it plans to trim about 5% of its workforce, targeting employees deemed “lowest performers.” The memo, in which Gale referred to the cuts as “performance terminations,” was first reported by The Information. Meta has not provided details on the number of employees affected.
While the layoffs impact several teams, Meta is ramping up hiring for AI-focused roles. In a separate memo, Peng Fan, VP of Engineering for Monetization, urged staff to support an expedited recruitment process for machine learning engineers and other key AI positions.
The hiring push is expected to take place between February 11 and March 13, as the company shifts focus toward AI-driven innovation and automation.
Meta has been restructuring its workforce over the past two years, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasizing a shift toward AI and automation to remain competitive against OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.
With over half a billion Meta devices in use globally, the company is doubling down on machine learning, content moderation, and AI-powered advertising solutions to boost efficiency and revenue.
Meta has yet to issue an official statement regarding the latest round of layoffs, but the simultaneous downsizing and AI-focused hiring push signals a broader strategy of restructuring for efficiency and long-term AI dominance.