The Layoffs

In recent times, the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have significantly impacted the tech industry. There has been widespread speculation and fear that AI would replace human jobs. Now, in 2025, this fear has become a reality, as AI has led to job losses for 5% of Meta’s workforce—resulting in 3,600 employees being laid off.

The Numbers Game

According to sources, Meta employs approximately 72,000 people worldwide. Of these, 3,600 individuals—5% of the total workforce—have lost their jobs. Many of these employees have expressed shock and disappointment, claiming they received ratings of “at or above expectations” during the mid-year performance review. However, when the layoff announcement was delivered via an official Meta email, the reason cited for their termination was “low performance.”

Fire & Hire

Meta is not struggling financially. Instead, the company is strategically shifting its focus toward AI development. The positions left vacant by the laid-off employees will be filled by AI and Machine Learning (ML) experts to strengthen the company’s AI technology division.

The Giant List

Following Meta’s shocking layoffs, speculation has grown about which companies will follow suit. Here is the list of probable giants:

• Google
• Amazon
• SpaceX
• Tesla
• X (formerly Twitter)

Many major tech companies have already integrated AI into their core business operations. As a strategic move, they may soon replace traditional roles with AI and ML specialists. We have already seen significant changes in their products and operational structures, suggesting that further layoffs may be imminent.

Final Thoughts

This is not the first time Meta has taken such action. In 2023, the company laid off 10,000 employees in a single round of workforce reductions. While these layoffs may provide short-term financial relief for tech giants, the long-term impact on employee trust and company reputation remains uncertain.

Meta has initiated layoffs in the very first month of 2025, and it is highly likely that other tech giants will soon adopt similar strategies to expand their AI and ML divisions. The question remains—who will be the next major tech company to downsize its human workforce in favor of AI?

What are your thoughts on Meta’s layoffs? Let us know in the comments!