Meta is planning layoffs of approximately 10 percent of its workforce in May, according to The Verge’s report citing a memo from Meta’s chief people officer, Janelle Gale, published by Bloomberg. The figure translates to roughly 8,000 positions. Meta will also close approximately 6,000 open roles rather than fill them. This article is based on a single trade-press report; independent corroboration was not available at publication time.
Gale’s memo said the cuts were being made “as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making.” Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton confirmed Bloomberg’s report was accurate, according to The Verge.
The investment backdrop
The cuts coincide with significantly increased AI spending. Meta forecast in January that it will spend between $115 billion and $135 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, up from $72.22 billion in 2025, according to the report. That increase is attributed to support for Meta’s Superintelligence Labs efforts and its core business operations. Gale’s memo presents headcount reduction as creating room for that investment.
Earlier this year, Meta had already made targeted cuts — layoffs affecting hundreds of employees in recruiting, social media, and sales, plus cuts of around 10 percent across its Reality Labs division, according to the report. The May round is described as broader in scope.
Timing and further cuts
Affected employees will be notified on May 20th. Gale’s memo acknowledged the difficulty of the timeline: “I know this leaves everyone with nearly a month of ambiguity which is incredibly unsettling,” while noting that further details could not be shared until later in May.
The Verge reports that Reuters had previously noted Meta was targeting May 20th, and that additional cuts are planned for the second half of 2026. Reuters had reported earlier, in March, that Meta had been considering cuts of 20 percent or more — the announced 10 percent is lower than that figure, though the reported second-half cuts are not yet quantified.