Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivered a stark message to employees during an internal town hall meeting, confirming another major round of layoffs while refusing to rule out deeper cuts in the future. The company plans to lay off around 8,000 employees starting May 20, according to details shared during the meeting. The reductions represent nearly 10 percent of Meta’s global workforce. Meta also plans to eliminate roughly 6,000 open positions before filling them, further signaling the company’s aggressive cost-cutting strategy as it shifts resources toward artificial intelligence. Read More: Meta Is Tracking Every Click and Keystroke to Train AI to Replace You Since 2022, Zuckerberg has overseen the elimination of nearly 25,000 jobs across the company. During the town hall, Zuckerberg acknowledged uncertainty surrounding Meta’s future workforce size. “I wish that I could tell you that I have a crystal ball plan for the next three years,” he told employees. “I don’t. I don’t think anyone does.” The remarks marked Zuckerberg’s first direct address to employees since March 2026. AI Investments Drive Restructuring Zuckerberg linked the layoffs to Meta’s growing investment in AI infrastructure and computing power. Explaining the company’s spending priorities, he said Meta has “two major cost centres: compute infrastructure and people-oriented things.” “As the company prioritises investing more in AI, we do need to take down the size of the company somewhat,” he added. Meta has spent billions of dollars expanding its AI capabilities as competition intensifies with rivals such as OpenAI, Google and Microsoft. The company recently accelerated investments in AI chips, large language models and data center infrastructure. Analysts say those projects require enormous long-term spending. Meta’s Chief Financial Officer Susan Li also acknowledged uncertainty over the company’s ideal workforce size. She said Meta still does not know its “optimal” long-term growth level because AI technology continues to evolve rapidly. Employees Question Layoffs Despite Strong Profits The latest cuts have increased anxiety among employees, especially after Meta reported strong financial results in recent quarters. Workers reportedly criticized management on internal message boards and questioned why the company continues to cut jobs despite record-breaking profits. Several employees also raised concerns about Meta’s growing workplace monitoring systems. According to reports, Meta is now tracking employee keystrokes and mouse movements to help train AI systems. One employee reportedly described the practice as “dystopian” during internal discussions. The layoffs continue a broader restructuring trend across the global technology sector. Companies including Amazon, Google and Microsoft have also reduced staff while redirecting billions toward AI development. Industry analysts say major technology firms now face pressure to balance profitability with the enormous costs of building next-generation AI systems. For Meta employees, however, Zuckerberg’s comments reinforced growing fears that further cuts may still lie ahead.