Overview
- Meta, which began notifying staff on Wednesday, eliminated roughly 700 roles across Reality Labs, Facebook, recruiting, sales, and global operations, according to multiple reports.
- Meta said the reductions are routine restructuring and it is trying to place some affected employees in new roles, with certain positions requiring relocation.
- The company is shifting resources to artificial intelligence, with 2026 capital spending guided to $115 billion to $135 billion, after years of steep losses in Reality Labs and January cuts of about 1,000 roles there.
- Less than a day before the layoffs, Meta disclosed a new stock‑option program for six senior executives that could pay up to $921 million each if ambitious performance targets, including a $9 trillion market value by 2031, are met.
- Earlier reports suggested leadership had scoped much larger reductions of up to about 20% of staff, which Meta called speculative, leaving investors and employees watching for any further rounds.