Meta will cut thousands of jobs next month as it spends more than ever on artificial intelligence (AI) projects. The company told employees in a memo that it planned to cut 10% of its workforce - roughly 8,000 staff. It said it would also not fill thousands more open jobs. A key reason for the layoffs is Meta's increased spending in other areas of the company, including AI, for which it will this year spend $135bn (£100bn). This is roughly equal to the amount it has spent on AI in the previous three years combined. A spokesman for Meta confirmed the planned job cuts but declined to comment further. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, made public comments earlier this year indicating job cuts were forthcoming, stating that productivity improvements with AI tools have been significant. The company is now more focused on developing AI models, recently informing employees of a strategy to log their computer interactions to improve AI capabilities. This move has been described as 'dystopian' by some staff, reflecting their concerns about the company’s growing obsession with AI. Overall, since 2022, Meta has cut tens of thousands of positions and the impending reductions will represent its largest layoff to date since 2023. Other major tech firms have similarly conducted mass layoffs citing heightened investments in AI.