Meta Lays Off Thousands! Focusing on AI—Who Will Survive?

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:11 | Digital Transformation | Editorial INTI

Jakarta, INTI – In today’s rapidly evolving digital era, artificial intelligence (AI) has become the primary focus of major tech companies. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has once again laid off approximately 4,000 employees—around 5% of its total workforce. This move is part of an efficiency strategy announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg. In an internal memo, Zuckerberg stated that this decision aims to "raise the company’s standards" and eliminate positions deemed non-strategic.

Why Is Meta Laying Off Employees?

The layoffs have shocked many, especially the affected employees. Some reported receiving positive performance reviews before being let go. “When I received the layoff email, I was completely shocked. I had a solid performance record and never received any indication that my job was at risk,” said a former Meta employee, as quoted by Business Insider on February 12, 2025.

Meta is restructuring its workforce amid increasing competition in AI development. Despite the job cuts, many positions will be refilled this year, primarily with AI engineers in the coming weeks. The company’s main focus is hiring machine learning engineers to accelerate advancements in AI technology.

The Impact of Layoffs and Meta’s AI Ambitions

According to Social Media Today, Meta has allocated $65 billion (approximately Rp 1,062 trillion) for AI development in 2025. The company also plans to activate up to 1.3 million Nvidia H100 GPUs in its AI data centers. Additionally, Meta has recently launched its "Mesa" data center in Arizona and is currently building a new 2GW-capacity facility to expand its AI reach and capabilities.

The urgency of AI expansion has intensified with the rise of DeepSeek, an AI model that is faster and more cost-efficient than other AI projects. With this strategy, Meta hopes to maintain its competitive edge amid the fierce race in the AI industry.

How Is Meta Adapting to the AI Trend?

To stay relevant in the AI era, Meta is implementing the following strategies:

Accelerating AI Engineer Recruitment – Meta is fast-tracking the hiring of AI talent to drive innovation in AI and the metaverse.
Massive Investments in AI Infrastructure – By allocating billions of dollars for GPUs and data centers, Meta is committed to strengthening its AI ecosystem.
Workforce Restructuring – While layoffs are happening, Meta aims to improve efficiency by retaining employees with strong AI expertise.

Conclusion

Meta is making bold moves in workforce restructuring to shift its focus toward AI development. Although this decision has created uncertainty for many employees, the company’s massive AI investments signal its ambition to become a leader in artificial intelligence. With this strategy, Meta hopes to continue innovating and staying competitive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

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