PP Language LessonsMeta shifts staff to AI while cutting jobs
Key Vocabulary
Listening
Meta shifts staff to AI while cutting jobs
Meta has reassigned 7,000 employees to new groups that will focus on artificial intelligence. The moves have been described in a memo from Janelle Gale, the company's Chief People Officer, and include teams such as Applied AI Engineering (AAI) and the Agent Transformation Accelerator (ATA). While the company says the new structure will be flatter and allow smaller teams to move faster, many employees have raised concerns.
Meta has also said it will lay off about 8,000 people and will not fill roughly 6,000 open roles, measures meant to offset rising AI costs. Notifications are scheduled to be sent on May 20, and staff in North America were told to work from home that day. However, the changes have prompted protests and questions about monitoring tools, and employees have asked for more clarity and support.
The company had about 77,986 employees at the end of March, so these shifts will affect a notable share of staff.
Quiz
Reading Practice
Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.
Discussion
Do you think smaller teams work better than large teams? Why or why not?
Have you ever felt uncertain after an internal company memo? What did you do?
What concerns would you have if your employer asked you to learn new AI tools?
How would you like a company to support staff who lose their jobs?