AXIOS (Sara Fischer) - Meta to lay off 8,000 as part of AI efficiency push
Meta told staff Thursday it plans to lay off roughly 8,000 people, or around 10% of the company, two sources confirmed to Axios. Why it matters: The cuts come as Meta looks to offset rising AI infrastructure costs. Zoom out: Meta's capital expenditures have ballooned in recent years, sparking investor concerns that excessive AI spending will eat into profits. - In January, the company said it expects capex to soar by at least 60% this year compared with 2025, "driven by increased investment to support our Meta Superintelligence Labs efforts and core business." - Free cash flow, meanwhile, is expected to plunge 83% year over year. Reality check: Meta is no stranger to large-scale cuts. - Layoffs affecting more than 20,000 workers…