Facebook's parent company, Meta, has once again implemented a significant round of layoffs, reportedly cutting around 600 jobs from its Super Intelligence Labs AI unit, while these layoffs are impacting crucial teams such as Meta's Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) team, AI infrastructure, and the newly formed TDB lab. This development comes despite the company's prior substantial investments in artificial intelligence initiatives. According to an Axios report, Meta eliminated approximately 600 positions within its Super Intelligence Labs, a unit responsible for the company's large AI models and infrastructure projects. The affected groups include FAIR, the AI infrastructure unit, product-related AI teams, and the TDB lab, while meta has not yet issued an official statement regarding these layoffs, leaving many employees in a state of uncertainty and shock.
Shift in AI Strategy
In June 2025, Meta had aggressively expanded its AI team, recruiting numerous top tech experts from leading companies like Apple, OpenAI, and Google. At that time, the company poured billions of dollars into developing AI data centers and super intelligence projects. However, it now appears Meta is restructuring its AI unit to reduce costs and refine its strategy, leading to these unexpected job cuts. This suggests a shift in focus or a re-evaluation of its AI long-term plans.
Employee Outcry on Social Media
Numerous researchers took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their dismay, stating they were abruptly laid off from Meta. Senior Research Scientist Yuandong Tian from FAIR, along with several other experienced researchers, are among those affected, while another scientist, Xianjun Yang, shared their frustration, writing, "My work was cited by big names in AI yesterday, and today I'm laid off. " The sentiment across social media indicates that many employees found the decision surprising and ill-timed, reflecting considerable internal and external dissatisfaction.
