Meta has announced plans to cut about 600 jobs from its superintelligence research division as part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at improving efficiency across its artificial intelligence (AI) operations.
The layoffs were revealed in an internal memo written by Meta’s chief AI officer, Alexandr Wang, and first reported by Axios.
According to the memo, the decision is intended to streamline workflows and empower remaining staff to take on broader responsibilities. “By reducing the size of our team, fewer conversations will be required to make a decision, and each person will be more load-bearing and have more scope and impact,” Wang wrote.
The cuts mark another chapter in Meta’s ongoing “year of efficiency,” a company-wide cost-control campaign that began in 2023 and has resulted in multiple rounds of layoffs. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly said the goal is to make Meta a “leaner and more efficient” company.
Despite the latest downsizing, Meta is not expected to reduce its overall headcount significantly. Many affected employees may be reassigned to other roles within the company as it consolidates teams to focus on high-priority AI projects.
The move follows an aggressive hiring spree earlier in the year, during which Meta reportedly lured more than 50 AI researchers from competitors such as Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI with multimillion-dollar compensation packages. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, however, downplayed the impact of the defections, saying “none of [OpenAI’s] best people” took the offers.
Meta’s reorganization underscores the fierce competition among tech giants to develop next-generation AI systems. As the company continues investing heavily in superintelligence research, the latest shake-up suggests a shift toward faster decision-making and tighter internal focus.
