Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) is planning to cut approximately 600 positions within its artificial intelligence (AI) division, according to an internal memo reviewed by Axios and The Wall Street Journal.
The move comes as the social media and technology giant reshapes its AI operations under the newly formed Superintelligence Labs to improve agility, decision-making, and efficiency.
Scope and impact of job cuts
The layoffs will affect several teams within Meta’s AI unit, including the Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) team, product-related AI groups, and AI infrastructure divisions.
Meta emphasized that the recently established TBD Lab, a smaller team focusing on next-generation foundation models and a hub for CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s high-profile AI hires, will remain unaffected.
Alexandr Wang, Meta’s Chief AI Officer, explained in the memo that reducing team size would streamline decision-making processes and increase the responsibility and impact of remaining employees.
He added that the majority of affected staff would have opportunities for internal redeployment where their AI expertise could still be leveraged.
The layoffs represent a small portion of the several thousand employees within Meta’s AI unit.
The company encouraged impacted employees to apply for other positions internally, signaling that the reorganization is intended as a strategic realignment rather than a broad reduction in talent.
Superintelligence labs and AI ambitions
Meta’s AI restructuring began in June 2025, following departures of senior staff and lukewarm reception for its open-source Llama 4 model.
The Superintelligence Labs encompasses FAIR, product-focused AI teams, and TBD Lab.
The new structure aims to streamline operations and focus on long-term AI research, infrastructure, and product development.
Meta has aggressively expanded its AI capabilities over the years, starting with the FAIR unit in 2013, led by Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun, and extending to global research networks dedicated to deep learning.
In recent years, the company has recruited high-profile AI talent from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind, with some hires receiving compensation packages up to $100 million.
The company’s AI ambitions are supported by substantial investments in infrastructure.
In October 2025, Meta and its partner Blue Owl Capital struck a $27 billion financing deal to fund the construction of the Hyperion data center in Louisiana.
Blue Owl contributed approximately $7 billion in cash, while Meta received a one-time payout of $3 billion.
The project is expected to eventually require five gigawatts of power, reaching an initial capacity of two gigawatts by 2030.
Strategic realignment amid cost and growth considerations
The job cuts coincide with broader strategic moves to optimize Meta’s AI spending and talent deployment.
The company emphasized that Superintelligence Labs would continue hiring AI-native talent even as it reduces certain teams.
Wang stated that fewer team members would allow each person to carry more responsibility and deliver greater impact within the unit.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has indicated the company may invest more than $600 billion in the US through 2028, contingent on AI progress, underscoring the long-term commitment to scaling AI operations.
Meta stock was trading down 0.58% at $729 on Wednesday.
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