Meta Cuts Roughly 10% of Workforce After Scrapped Second AI-Driven Layoff Wave

Meta Platforms Inc. proceeded with a first phase of workforce reductions on May 20, 2026, cutting roughly 10% of its staff as part of an AI-driven reorganization under a confidential initiative called Project OT. Executives had considered far deeper cuts for some teams — up to 60% — and scheduled a second round for November but CEO Mark Zuckerberg scrapped that follow-up hours before the May cuts took effect after internal data showed AI productivity lagging and employees pushed back over monitoring software. Internal metrics cited in planning showed increased technical incidents and slower feature delivery despite higher engineering activity; the company plans at least $130 billion in AI infrastructure spending for 2026. Zuckerberg said he did not expect other company-wide layoffs that year, though smaller reductions remained possible, and some engineering divisions had seen headcounts fall by nearly 30% by late May.

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.