qwant news | Meta lays off hundreds more workers as Mark Zuckerberg pivots away from costly 'metaverse' pushMeta is laying off several hundred employees across key divisions—including Facebook and its Reality Labs unit—as the company restructures for an artificial‑intelligence‑focused future. The cuts come as Meta pulls back from its costly metaverse push, after pouring tens of billions into virtual‑reality hardware and software with limited payoff. By shifting resources toward AI and wearable technology, the firm hopes to chase faster growth and clearer returns as demand for VR headsets cools and investor enthusiasm fades.CEO Mark Zuckerberg is driving the AI transition, saying earlier this year that 2026 will be “the year that AI starts to dramatically change the way that we work.” Teams are being flattened and AI tools are being deployed to boost productivity, with some affected staff offered alternative roles—though a few positions may require relocation. The latest lay‑off follows earlier reductions, including roughly 1,500 jobs eliminated in Reality Labs in January and a 5 % cut of the company’s lowest‑performing employees last year. Rumors that Meta could axe up to 20 % of its workforce this year have been dismissed as speculative.Meta is also ramping up its AI‑related spending, projecting $115 billion to $135 billion in capital expenditures for the year—a roughly 75 % increase over the prior period—largely earmarked for data centers, servers and other infrastructure needed to power advanced AI systems. Operating expenses are expected to rise about 40 % as higher compensation is offered to attract technical talent. Since the start of the year the company’s shares have fallen nearly 10 %, trading around $598 per share at mid‑day Wednesday.Read more: https://nypost.com/2026/03/25/business/meta-is-laying-off-more-workers-these-departments-are-being-impacted/#meta #markzuckerberg #realitylabs #ai #virtual-reality
