Meta lays off hundreds of employees, reallocating funds to AI

Meta is laying off hundreds of employees, redirecting money to AI

Meta is laying off hundreds of employees across the company — this was reported on March 25, 2026 by The New York Times, NBC News, and The Information. Layoffs affected recruiting, sales, and social media teams, as well as Reality Labs, a division that develops the company's smart glasses and VR headsets.

Which divisions were hit by layoffs

The wave of layoffs at Meta covered several directions at once: recruiting, sales, social media, and Reality Labs — the division responsible for smart glasses and virtual reality headsets. According to NBC News, the layoffs affected five divisions of the company, including areas related to VR and artificial intelligence. The New York Times headline points to approximately 700 employees and the fact that simultaneously with layoffs, Meta continues to reward top management.

• On March 25, 2026, The New York Times, NBC News, and The Information first reported on the layoffs
• Recruiting, sales, social media, and Reality Labs divisions were affected
• Reality Labs is Meta's division that develops smart glasses and VR headsets
• According to The New York Times headline, the number is approximately 700 employees
• NBC News reports five affected divisions, including VR and AI-related areas
• Meta press secretary Tracy Clayton gave an official comment to The Verge

What Meta said

The company did not name the exact number of laid-off employees in an official comment, but confirmed the fact of layoffs. "Teams at Meta regularly conduct restructuring or make changes to position themselves better to achieve their goals," Meta press secretary Tracy Clayton said in a written comment to The Verge.

"Where possible, we seek other opportunities for employees whose positions may be affected," —

Tracy Clayton, Meta press secretary.

Clayton refused further comments — in particular, on the exact number of cut positions and details on specific teams.

Why the headline links layoffs to AI spending

The Verge's headline is straightforward: Meta is laying off hundreds of employees while simultaneously increasing investments in artificial intelligence. The published fragment of the article does not reveal what specific AI projects are being discussed — there are no details about investments in the cited portion of the text, but the headline itself ties the two processes together. The New York Times headline adds another detail: layoffs coincide with the company continuing to reward top management — that is, savings are not happening evenly across all levels of the company.

What this means

The layoffs show that even while increasing spending on AI, Meta continues to trim staffing in related areas — recruiting, sales, and Reality Labs. Officially, the company calls this routine restructuring, but The Verge and The New York Times headlines directly link layoffs to increased AI investment and simultaneous rewards to management.

Frequently asked questions

How many employees did Meta lay off and when?

The company does not disclose the exact number. According to The New York Times, NBC News, and The Information, it is hundreds of employees — the New York Times headline points to approximately 700 positions. News of the layoffs appeared on March 25, 2026.

Which Meta divisions suffered layoffs?

Recruiting, sales, social media, and Reality Labs are confirmed — the division for smart glasses and VR headsets. NBC News reports that in total, the layoffs affected five company divisions, including VR and AI areas.