Meta AI Layoffs: Company Cuts 600 Jobs as It Reorganizes AI Research Teams

Meta Platforms has announced that it will cut around 600 jobs from its artificial intelligence division as part of a wider internal reshuffle. The layoffs were confirmed on October 22, 2025, and affect several key research and infrastructure teams within the company’s AI organization.

According to company officials, the move is not simply about downsizing but about refocusing Meta’s AI strategy to make teams leaner and more efficient. This comes as the company doubles down on its new AI lab, which will serve as the center of its next generation of artificial intelligence research.

Meta AI Layoffs and the Company’s New Direction

The layoffs primarily affect employees within Meta’s long-standing FAIR (Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research) unit and other AI infrastructure teams. Employees in the United States reportedly began receiving notifications earlier this week. Many affected workers are being encouraged to apply for other roles within the company.

Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang said in an internal memo that the reorganization aims to create smaller, faster teams with greater impact. “By streamlining the department, each individual can carry more responsibility and contribute to faster innovation,” the memo stated. This is part of what CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously called Meta’s “year of efficiency,” a plan designed to reduce bureaucracy and improve productivity across the company.

While some groups are shrinking, Meta is also expanding elsewhere. Its newly formed TBD Lab — short for “To Be Determined” — will serve as the main hub for advanced AI research. The lab’s focus includes developing models that may eventually rival or surpass existing generative AI systems in capability and scale. Reports also suggest Meta has recruited several former researchers from rival companies, including OpenAI, to strengthen this new division.

These layoffs reflect Meta’s evolving strategy in the AI space: fewer large research departments and more concentrated efforts around core, high-impact projects. The company insists this realignment is necessary to stay competitive in a rapidly changing landscape dominated by players like Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI.

Broader Impact and Industry Context

Meta’s latest restructuring underscores how competitive the global AI race has become. By consolidating its AI operations, Meta aims to balance innovation with efficiency, ensuring resources are directed toward the most promising developments. Analysts note that these changes also mirror a broader industry shift toward smaller, interdisciplinary AI teams that can bring research to market faster.

In the short term, the layoffs have created uncertainty for affected employees, many of whom have contributed to Meta’s AI progress in recent years. However, the company’s continued investment in new projects shows it remains committed to leading in artificial intelligence — albeit in a more targeted and agile way.

In summary, the Meta AI layoffs signal not a retreat but a restructuring — a calculated move to streamline operations and refocus on the company’s most ambitious AI goals.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: Why did Meta lay off 600 employees in its AI division?

Meta says the decision is part of a reorganization to make its AI teams leaner and more efficient, with a focus on faster innovation and higher-impact work.

Q2: Which teams were affected by Meta’s AI layoffs?

The layoffs primarily affected the FAIR research team and certain AI infrastructure groups within Meta’s technology division.

Q3: Is Meta still hiring in AI despite the layoffs?

Yes. Meta continues hiring aggressively for its newly formed TBD Lab, which focuses on advanced AI model development.

Q4: What is Meta’s TBD Lab?

TBD Lab is Meta’s new AI research center dedicated to developing next-generation models and advancing the company’s push toward artificial general intelligence.

Q5: How do these layoffs affect Meta’s AI strategy?

The move aligns with Meta’s goal of creating smaller, faster, and more innovative teams that can keep up with global AI competition.