NEW DELHI — Meta is expected to begin layoffs affecting 10% of its global workforce on Wednesday, May 20, as the U.S.-based technology company reorganizes its operations and expands its artificial intelligence initiatives, according to multiple reports.
The company is seeking to eliminate some managerial roles and restructure teams into smaller “AI-native” units designed to speed up decision-making, the reports said.
Meta also reportedly plans to close about 6,000 open positions. The overall changes, including transfers, could affect roughly 20% of the company’s current workforce.
If carried out at that scale, the layoffs could affect about 16,000 employees, based on Meta’s workforce of nearly 79,000 people as of Dec. 31.
Some employees have pushed back against the restructuring, staging protests at company offices and posting complaints on Meta’s internal platform, Workplace.
More than 1,000 employees have signed a petition opposing new mouse-tracking software that Meta is using to train AI systems, citing privacy concerns.
The reported cuts come as global technology layoffs accelerate in 2026. More than 80,000 tech jobs were cut in the first quarter, with total losses expected to exceed 300,000 this year, according to a report cited by IANS. Companies including Oracle, Amazon and Meta have been among those reducing staff.
A recent report by TradingPlatforms said the latest wave of layoffs is part of a broader post-pandemic correction, with more than 1 million tech jobs lost globally since 2021 as companies adjust after rapid hiring during the Covid-era expansion.
AI and automation have become major drivers of the restructuring, with nearly half of all layoffs in 2026 linked to AI-related changes, according to the report.
The U.S. remains the hardest-hit market, accounting for nearly 77% of global layoffs so far this year, with more than 61,000 job cuts across 62 companies.
Oracle has reported the largest number of layoffs globally in 2026, cutting more than 25,000 roles as part of a major restructuring tied to its AI infrastructure push. (Source: IANS)
