Meta's Project OT leads to 10% workforce reduction; second wave halted

Meta Platforms moved ahead with the first phase of a planned AI-driven restructuring (Project OT) on May 20, 2026, cutting roughly 10% of its workforce, while a larger second wave of layoffs scheduled for November was reportedly cancelled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg hours before it was to take effect. Project OT aimed to make Meta an "AI-native" organisation and explored scenarios including up to 60% reductions in select teams, but those aggressive options were described as exploratory. Reuters reported internal data showing increased AI-related development activity but limited measurable business gains, rising incidents and employee unrest linked to monitoring tools, all factors cited in halting the second round. Meta acknowledged Project OT existed but framed steep reduction scenarios as exploratory and said the 60% figure applied only to selected teams; Zuckerberg indicated he did not expect further company-wide layoffs that year while smaller AI-assisted teams continue to operate.

LayoffTalk has tracked 75 layoff events at Meta Platforms, Inc. since January 2023, including 9,622 jobs documented in official WARN filings, with 60 additional events known from news reporting.