Here’s the translation to American English:
Meta has launched a new round of layoffs that will affect approximately 4,000 employees worldwide, in an effort to cut costs and accelerate its investment in artificial intelligence, according to sources from Business Insider. This measure is part of the “efficiency” strategy that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been promoting since 2023, which has been well received by the markets.
Staff Reduction to Optimize Costs
The company has confirmed that the reduction represents about 5% of its global workforce, with notifications already sent to employees in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The goal is to eliminate those considered underperformers, based on internal performance evaluations.
Zuckerberg has made it clear in internal communications that the company will raise performance expectations and implement strict measures to achieve maximum efficiency. This new wave of layoffs follows the trend of other major tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Salesforce, which have opted to cut costs after significant hiring during the pandemic.
A Focus on Artificial Intelligence
Despite being one of the most profitable companies in the sector, Meta is redirecting its resources toward the development of generative artificial intelligence, a technology that requires millions in investments in infrastructure and specialized hardware.
This shift responds to the increasing competition in the sector, with giants like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft rapidly advancing in this field. To stay competitive, Meta needs tens of billions for new developments, prompting the company to cut expenses in other areas.
Concerns Among Employees
The workforce reduction has raised concerns within Meta. Several employees have expressed their worries about the environment of uncertainty and its impact on team morale. Some fear that performance evaluations may be used as an excuse for mass layoffs, affecting workers with a good track record at the company.
Moreover, the speed of the process has surprised many, as notifications were sent with little room for reaction. Employees laid off in the United States will receive 16 weeks of pay plus two additional weeks for each year of service, according to reports from internal documents.
Internal Reorganization and Strategic Changes
Along with the layoffs, Meta is reorganizing its main divisions to improve operational efficiency. Some of the measures include:
- The merging of Facebook and Messenger teams, under the leadership of Tom Alison.
- The transfer of Loredana Crisan, head of Messenger, to the generative artificial intelligence team.
- A greater integration of Reality Labs, the virtual and augmented reality division, with the company’s core business.
Reality Labs has incurred losses of nearly $60 billion since 2020, prompting Meta to review its internal structure to optimize investment in this area.
The Impact on the Tech Industry
Meta’s decision reflects a changing trend in Silicon Valley, where tech companies have shifted from an era of expansion and massive hiring to a phase of cutbacks and operational efficiency.
While Zuckerberg’s strategy has been well received by investors —Meta’s market value has increased by over a trillion dollars since 2023— the challenge now will be to maintain employee morale and retain talent in a highly competitive sector.
The future of Meta will depend on its ability to balance cost-cutting with innovation in AI without sacrificing its leadership position in the tech industry.
via: Social Media News