Meta Cuts 101 Washington Jobs in AI Division Overhaul

Meta is cutting 101 jobs across its Washington State offices, effectively hitting the company’s own artificial intelligence teams. The cuts, set to take effect on December 22, target the Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond locations as part of a plan to make the AI division faster and smaller. The news comes from a state filing reported by King5.

Key Facts

• 101 Total Cuts: The layoffs hit workers in Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond.
• AI Focused: The cuts specifically target the Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) unit and infrastructure teams.
• Effective Date: Workers will leave the payroll on December 22.
• Source: King5, GeekWire

Local Impact Breakdown

The state filing gives a clear picture of where the cuts are happening. Bellevue is taking the biggest hit with 48 lost jobs. The Seattle office will lose 23 workers, and the Redmond location will lose four. Another 23 remote workers based in Washington are also on the list. These cuts are not general staff reductions; they are aiming at software engineers, researchers, and product managers within the AI group itself.

Why Cut AI Teams?

It might seem strange for a company betting its future on AI to fire AI workers. However, reports indicate this is about changing how the teams work. The goal is to remove “middle layers” of management to help teams make decisions faster. Instead of having large groups, Meta wants smaller, more agile teams. This proves that working in a high-demand field like AI does not guarantee job safety if the company decides to reorganize.

The Broader Picture

This Washington layoff is just one piece of a larger move. Reports show that Meta is cutting about 600 jobs total from its AI division globally. While the company is letting these researchers and engineers go, it is still hiring for its new “superintelligence” team. This suggests a shift in focus rather than a complete pullback from AI development.