Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, has just announced major changes to its artificial intelligence division. According to an internal memo from the new head of AI, Alexandr Wang, approximately 600 employees will be laid off. The move targets legacy teams, while newly hired specialists in advanced labs will remain unaffected. Wang, who joined in June 2025 after Meta invested $14.3 billion (approximately CZK 334 billion) in the startup Scale AI and acquired a 49% stake, has been tasked with streamlining operations.
The layoffs will primarily affect the FAIR (Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research), AI infrastructure, and product-focused teams. These groups were deemed too large, with overlapping roles and competition for resources. Mark Zuckerberg expressed dissatisfaction with progress in AI, particularly after the lukewarm reception of the Llama 4 models earlier in the year. The goal is to create smaller, talented teams that can make decisions and innovate more quickly. Employees were informed that their official termination date is November 21, 2025.
What Will Remain
By contrast, Superintelligence Labs and the newly established TBD Lab, which employ top specialists recruited from competitors such as OpenAI and Microsoft, will remain fully intact. These teams are a priority for future growth. Meta continues to recruit for these labs, attracting talent from rivals and focusing on advanced AI projects. Wang emphasized in the memo that these changes will help concentrate resources on key initiatives.
Laid-off employees will receive severance pay equal to 16 weeks of salary, plus two weeks for each year worked. In addition, Meta is encouraging them to apply for other positions within the company. These measures are intended to mitigate the impact on people who were part of a division described as too sprawling. The move is an effort to accelerate development and improve Meta's competitiveness in AI compared with companies such as OpenAI or Google.
Sources: axios.com and theinformation.com
