Meta Just Laid Off 600 AI Workers — Here’s Why 👀

October 22nd, 2025· 9.5K views· 1:05
Benzinga
Benzinga

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) just announced layoffs impacting roughly 600 employees across its AI divisions — including teams working on infrastructure and Fundamental AI Research. The move comes just months after Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI and brought on its CEO, Alexandr Wang, as Meta’s new Chief AI Officer. In a memo obtained by CNBC, affected employees were told they’ll receive 16 weeks of severance pay, plus two additional weeks for every year of service. This comes amid CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s frustration with the company’s AI progress — especially after the Llama 4 models underwhelmed developers earlier this year. Now, Meta is restructuring under a new unit called Meta Superintelligence Labs, co-led by Wang and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, as it races to compete with OpenAI and Google in the global AI arms race. Meanwhile, Meta is also investing heavily in its Hyperion data center project in Louisiana — a $27 billion infrastructure build that could cover a footprint as large as Manhattan. Will these layoffs help Meta move faster, or signal deeper trouble inside Zuckerberg’s AI ambitions? #Meta #Layoffs #MarkZuckerberg 🖥️ Try Benzinga Pro FREE with a 14 day trial: https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register 📈 Take your trading to the next level with our suite of premium research services and tools: https://www.benzinga.com/services 🌐 Find more market-moving insights at https://www.benzinga.com — your one-stop destination for the latest financial news, data, and expert analysis to stay ahead of the markets. 📲 Follow us on socials @benzinga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 🔹Free Benzinga Webinars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ2jOJNkDfI&list=PL4k0fH8EgI3YTdqniRmxrvz97w3IQ61rD 🔹Benzinga Pro Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2FaHhLIrks&list=PL4k0fH8EgI3YMwoBMFXGvVMkgixFymmei&pp=gAQB 🔹Earnings Calls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2-AoCw64Ok&list=PL4k0fH8EgI3buZI5529R53wJUNd9NS4_s 🔹Premarket Playbook: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4k0fH8EgI3ZVRPM7INpG--GvohnBVTnT 🔹Benzinga's All Access: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4k0fH8EgI3bQSn91atO-3lPT4V6Nwsmh 🔹Subscribe To The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Benzinga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ⚠️ Disclaimer: Investing in financial markets carries risk, and there are no guaranteed returns. All information is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. Always do your own research and speak with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Only invest what you can afford to lose. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes.