But even as Mark Zuckerberg is pushing headfirst into AI, investors are getting jittery about the amount of money being spent on the technology. Because of this, the company is also trimming its less performant units. In January 2026, its metaverse division slashed 1,500 jobs, while it also let go of about 8,000 workers last year — a part of the 100,000 tech industry positions caught in layoffs as of mid-2025.
There were some complaints in Meta’s anonymous employee messaging board about the bonus cuts. “Another reduction. I guess that’s what I get for trying! Bye Meta!” one comment said, as per the Financial Times . Another one wrote, “Cutting my work hours 5%.” Nevertheless, the company still has one of the best pay packages in the industry. If you pair that with the uncertainty of white-collar jobs over the threat of AI , it’s unlikely that Meta will see a mass exodus of its workers anytime soon.
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Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/premium
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/zuckerberg-cuts-meta-employee-bonuses-by-5-percent-follows-10-percent-reduction-last-year-despite-ai-splurge-usd130-billion-capex-vision-and-eye-watering-ai-pay-packages-force-efficiency-elsewhere-in-the-business#main
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.