Meta Trims 600 AI Positions Amid Organizational Restructuring While Advancing Superintelligence Goals

Major Workforce Reduction in Meta’s AI Division

Meta Platforms has eliminated approximately 600 positions within its artificial intelligence organizations, according to internal company communications. Sources indicate the workforce reduction affects employees across Meta’s Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) unit and AI product and infrastructure divisions, representing one of the more significant restructuring moves in the company’s AI segment this year.

Major Workforce Reduction in Meta’s AI Division
Strategic Restructuring for Efficiency
Superintelligence Labs Remain Protected
Impact on AI Talent and Industry Response

The layoffs were confirmed by Alexandr Wang, Meta’s chief AI officer, who stated that affected employees have been notified of the decision. Analysts suggest this move aligns with Meta’s broader strategy to streamline operations and reduce organizational layers within its sprawling AI infrastructure.

Strategic Restructuring for Efficiency

In a memo to staff obtained by TechSpot, Wang explained the rationale behind the workforce reduction. “By reducing the size of our team, fewer conversations will be required to make a decision, and each person will be more load-bearing and have more scope and impact,” Wang wrote. The report states this approach is intended to create a more efficient organizational structure within Meta’s AI division.

According to industry observers, the restructuring comes just weeks after Meta announced a temporary pause in AI hiring and reorganized its AI division into four specialized groups focused on research, infrastructure, products, and superintelligence. The timing suggests Meta is strategically reallocating resources toward its highest-priority AI initiatives.

Superintelligence Labs Remain Protected

Despite the significant workforce reduction, sources indicate that Meta’s recently formed TBD Labs remains unaffected by the layoffs. This elite team operates within Meta Superintelligence Labs and is reportedly focused on developing next-generation foundation models. Wang leads this division, having joined Meta after the company invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI, where he previously served as CEO.

The protection of superintelligence research aligns with Meta’s aggressive recruitment efforts earlier this year, when the company reportedly offered nine-figure compensation packages to attract top AI researchers. According to previous reports, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claimed Meta attempted to lure his employees with signing bonuses reaching $100 million.

Impact on AI Talent and Industry Response

The workforce reduction has already begun dispersing Meta’s AI talent to other technology firms. Xianjun Yang, one of the researchers affected by the layoffs, has reportedly received positive responses from multiple major tech companies including Apple, X, xAI, Salesforce, and AMD after announcing his availability on social media platform X.

Industry analysts suggest that while Meta is trimming certain AI roles, the company continues to maintain substantial investment in artificial intelligence development. The selective nature of the layoffs, which spare superintelligence research while cutting other positions, indicates Meta is prioritizing its long-term AI ambitions despite short-term organizational adjustments.

According to technology industry observers, this pattern of strategic workforce optimization while maintaining focus on cutting-edge research reflects the competitive pressures and substantial resource requirements of advanced AI development. The move comes amid ongoing industry debates about superintelligent AI, with over 800 public figures including prominent AI researchers and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak having recently signed an open letter calling for restrictions on superintelligent AI development.