Meta Platforms is planning to reduce its workforce by approximately 10%, affecting around 8,000 employees, according to an internal company memo obtained by Bloomberg. The social media giant will also eliminate 6,000 open positions.

The layoffs, scheduled to begin on May 20, represent Meta’s latest effort to streamline operations and redirect resources toward artificial intelligence investments. Chief People Officer Janelle Gale addressed staff in the memo, acknowledging the difficult nature of the decision.

“We’re doing this as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making,” Gale wrote. “This is not an easy tradeoff and it will mean letting go of people who have made meaningful contributions to Meta during their time here.”

The restructuring follows earlier cuts at Meta’s Reality Labs division, where more than 1,000 employees were laid off and several VR-first studios were closed, including Twisted Pixel and Armature Studio.

Meta has spent tens of billions on its metaverse ambitions, which have largely underperformed expectations. The company is now pivoting aggressively toward AI, recently debuting its overhauled AI product called Muse Spark.

Industry analysts view the move as part of a broader trend among tech companies to optimize operations while investing heavily in AI capabilities to remain competitive.