Zuckerberg warns ‘success isn’t a given’ after laying off 10% of Meta

As Meta cut 10% of its workforce on Wednesday — a move that had been anticipated for nearly a month — CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed the tech giant’s transition in a companywide memo.

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

Zuckerberg thanked the impacted employees, stressed the importance of artificial intelligence, assured workers there shouldn’t be additional cuts in 2026 and laid out some of his vision for the future. Along with the cuts, Meta is redirecting 7,000 employees into AI roles, NBC News reported Tuesday.

“But success isn’t a given,” Zuckerberg warned. “AI is the most consequential technology of our lifetimes. The companies that lead the way will define the next generation,” Zuckerberg said in the note. The memo was posted on X by a New York Times reporter and a source familiar with the matter confirmed its authenticity to NBC News.

A leak last month about upcoming layoffs prompted Meta executives to share, shortly before reporting first-quarter 2026 earnings, that the tech giant was gearing up to lay off around 10% of the company’s employees.

The reorganization, which Meta first detailed in an internal memo in April, includes cutting about 8,000 employees and not filling approximately 6,000 open positions. Meta previously confirmed the April announcement’s authenticity to NBC News.

The employees affected by this restructuring were informed on Wednesday.

In April, Meta explained some of the calculus behind its shifting financials, noting that it was increasing 2026 capital expenditures to between $125 billion and $145 billion. That was because of “expectations for higher component pricing this year and, to a lesser extent, additional data center costs to support future year capacity,” according to Meta’s first-quarter 2026 report.

“This is the most dynamic I have seen our industry. I’m optimistic about everything we’re building to give billions of people the power to express themselves and connect with the people they care about,” Zuckerberg said in his Wednesday note. “We’re transforming our company to make sure it will always be the best place for talented people to have the greatest impact.”

Zuckerberg said he’s “grateful to those leaving today” and added that the company hasn’t been as transparent as he would have liked. He said that’s something he hopes Meta works on.

Employees in the United States who were laid off will receive severance including four months’ pay, with additional weeks for each year they were employed by Meta, according to the April memo sent by the head of people, Janelle Gale. Additional support, including for immigration and healthcare, is expected to be made available, as well.