[Young journalist Oh Sihyun] As Meta, the operator of Facebook and Instagram, continues intensive investment in artificial intelligence (AI), it is cutting about 10% of its workforce Meta plans to lay off about 8,000 workers on the 20th next month, which is close to one-tenth of its total workforce of 79,000 employees as of the end of last year. This is predicted to be the largest restructuring effort following its 2022 “Year of Efficiency” initiative. 

However, Meta’s decision is interpreted not simply as a cost reduction measure. It reflects a strategic reorganization aimed at shifting the company’s operational focus from humans to AI. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive officer (CEO), has emphasized since early this year that “We are entering an era where a competent individual using AI can complete projects that previously required large teams,” emphasizing slimmer team structures and AI-based efficiency. Following the establishment of Meta Superintelligence Lab (MSL) last year, Meta set aside up to $135 billion in capital expenditure this year, placing a strong focus on advancing technology.

This trend of “AI-based workforce efficiency” is spreading across the broader big tech industry. Recently, Amazon also reduced 30,000 office workers, which represents 10% of its white-collar staff, while fintech company Block cut its workforce in half. According to Layoffs.fyi statistics, already more than 73,000 tech workers have lost their jobs this year alone. As Zuckerberg predicted, technology is fundamentally changing how humans work, while the structure of the labor market is also shifting rapidly.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the large-scale layoffs, controversial executive compensation plans have been revealed. Meta’s board approved increasing performance bonuses for executives, excluding Zuckerberg, to as much as 200% of their base salary, while also granting additional stock compensation worth hundreds of millions of dollars if the company reaches a market capitalization of $9 trillion by 2031. While downsizing is helping Meta become more efficient from within, it provides strong incentives for its management to guide the company towards the era of AI.

▶원문 기사: "너 대신 AI"가 현실로… 메타 8,000명 해고로 꺼내든 승부수
 

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