Meta's Plan to Cut Teams and Replace Work with AI
Meta explored cutting the size of many teams by as much as 60% and handing the work to AI agents, under a plan code-named Project OT. Its own data showed AI agents produced far more code but few more features. Zuckerberg cancelled the second wave of cuts hours before the first was set to begin.
Background
Meta spent the first half of 2026 planning to replace much of the work its employees do with AI agents, then abandoned the most aggressive part of the plan when the technology failed to deliver.
Plan Details
- Two Waves: The plan ran in two stages, with a first purge in May and a second shake-up in November.
- Scope: A projected culling as big as or bigger than 25% of Meta’s staff from the previous cut.
On May 19, Zuckerberg called off the November planning, and Meta went ahead with cutting about 8,000 jobs, roughly 10% of its staff.
Meta’s Confirmation
The company acknowledged Project OT, describing it as a year-long effort focused on cost-cutting, team structure redesign, and moving staff into priority areas.
Meta confirmed the two-wave structure and the 60% figure, clarifying that it only covered scenarios for certain teams and several major units were excluded. Leaders cancelled the second wave before finalizing job cuts.
Origin of the Idea
Meta executives studied how AI startups organize themselves, with Alex Schultz and Naomi Gleit both visiting Asia. They admired how startups there had built their organizational charts around AI.
Data Insights
Meta’s data showed AI agents were producing volume but not necessarily value, with code changes rising 220% year-on-year.