# Meta cuts 8,000 jobs and Microsoft offers buyouts as AI costs squeeze Big Tech workforces

> Meta is cutting 8,000 jobs - 10% of its workforce - as Big Tech faces pressure to control costs amid massive AI spending. Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft plan to spend roughly $650 billion on infrastructure in 2026.

- Type: AI news
- Page: https://completeaitraining.com/news/meta-cuts-8000-jobs-and-microsoft-offers-buyouts-as-ai/
- Published: 2026-04-27
- Updated: 2026-04-27
- Author: Jeroen Erne
- Jobs: Human resources
- Reading time: 1 min

### Meta cuts 8,000 jobs as Big Tech grapples with AI spending costs

Meta will eliminate 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 employees, the company announced Thursday. The cuts reflect mounting pressure across Big Tech to control costs as companies spend billions on AI infrastructure and development.

Microsoft is taking a different approach for now, offering voluntary buyouts to some U.S. employees. The program targets senior directors and below whose age plus years at the company total at least 70. This marks Microsoft's first buyout offer, though the company laid off thousands of workers in 2025.

#### The scale of AI spending

Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft alone plan to spend roughly $650 billion on capital expenditures in 2026, mostly for data centers and AI model development. That spending is reshaping how these companies approach their payroll.

Amazon, Google, and Oracle have also announced layoffs over the past year. Each company is managing the tension between expanding AI capabilities and maintaining profitability.

#### Broader workforce contraction

These cuts follow years of tech industry layoffs that began after the pandemic-era hiring boom ended. Companies that rapidly expanded their workforces are now right-sizing operations.

Meta stock is roughly flat this year. Microsoft stock fell about 4% on Thursday but rose slightly Friday, though it remains down 15% for the year.

HR leaders managing similar organizational changes may find value in understanding how AI spending decisions drive workforce planning. The [AI Learning Path for CHROs](https://completeaitraining.com/learningpath/ai-for-chros-chief-human-resources-offic/) covers workforce strategy during periods of technological transition. Additional resources on [AI for Human Resources](https://completeaitraining.com/tag/human-resources/) address talent management in evolving tech environments.

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