Meta slashes 8000 jobs in $200 billion AI pivot

Meta's previously-reported 8000-strong job cuts have begun to roll out around the world, with affected employees being notifed from 4am in their local time zones.

Last month, Meta confirmed the job cuts were in the works as part of a major AI-focused restructure.

"We're doing this 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's chief people officer Janelle Gale said at the time in an internal memo to employees.

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"This is not an easy trade-off and it will mean letting go of people who have made meaningful contributions to Meta during their time here."

The New York Times has also reported that a further 7000 employees will be assigned to AI-focused roles.

Prior to the cuts, Meta's workforce numbered about 78,000 people, and the Times said many were feeling anxious and angry at having essentially trained their computerised replacements.

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A small number of those employees work in Australia, and 9news.com.au has contacted Meta to ask if those will be among the affected roles.

The Mark Zuckerberg-helmed company, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has forecast up to $US145 billion ($202.8 billion) in spending this year, with much of that dedicated to AI development.

Meanwhile, it also recently reported record profits, prompting further discontent among employees over job cuts.

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"Success isn't a given," Zuckerberg wrote in a note to terminated employees, as reported by the Times.

"AI is the most consequential technology of our lifetimes.

"The companies that lead the way will define the next generation."

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