Meta Layoffs Loom As HR, CEO Mark Zuckerberg Address Staff Concerns Meta’s leadership confirmed plans to lay off approximately 10% of its workforce in the coming weeks, with the company indicating it is not ruling out further cuts. The announcement came during an internal meeting where Janelle Gale, the company’s chief people officer, addressed staff concerns about the impact of the layoffs. Gale acknowledged that morale has been affected by the restructuring but emphasized that the business remains strong. She stated, “While the business is strong, priorities change, competition is fierce, and we will continue to manage our costs responsibly.” Gale also noted that some departments would be more significantly impacted than others, though she did not specify which teams. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, participated in the meeting and clarified that AI automation is not the primary driver behind the layoffs. Instead, he highlighted the efficiency gains achieved through AI, which have allowed smaller teams to operate more effectively. Zuckerberg also addressed the company’s plan to monitor employees’ keystrokes and mouse movements to enhance its AI models. He assured staff that human supervisors are not directly observing their activities, and the data collected is anonymized and used solely to improve AI systems. The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort, with Reuters reporting earlier this year that Meta aims to cut around 20% of its total workforce this year. Gale acknowledged the emotional toll of such decisions, stating that the company strives to handle difficult situations “the best version possible.” To support affected employees, Meta has tripled its COBRA healthcare coverage to 18 months.#meta #mark_zuckerberg #susan_li #janelle_gale #applied_ai
