Inside Meta’s High-Stakes Year of Cuts, Speed, and a Radical New Direction
Mark Zuckerberg did not exaggerate when he warned employees back in January to “buckle up” for an incredibly intense year. Over the course of 2025, Meta has shifted into overdrive with the singular goal of dominating the global artificial intelligence race, even if it means causing significant internal disruption. To achieve this, the CEO has fundamentally reshuffled departments and poured tens of billions of dollars into AI infrastructure and talent.
This aggressive pivot has come at the expense of previous priorities, specifically the metaverse. While the company hasn’t formally abandoned its virtual reality ambitions, resources within the Reality Labs division have clearly shifted toward smart glasses and wearable technology. Zuckerberg is now laser-focused on his vision of “superintelligence,” placing Meta in direct competition with giants like Google and OpenAI.
The cultural shift within the company has been just as dramatic as the strategic one. Zuckerberg has publicly described this new leadership style as bringing more “male energy” to the organization, a phrasing that signals a move toward ruthless efficiency. This approach has led to faster innovation, but it has also sparked tensions and driven some employees to leave.
To enforce this new standard, management was instructed to categorize a larger percentage of staff as performing “below expectations.” This strategy resulted in the termination of roughly 3,600 employees in February, followed by another cut of roughly 600 staff members in October during further restructuring. Workers have reported an atmosphere of heightened pressure and internal competition, where long-term stability is often sacrificed for short-term tactical wins.
Confusion has also plagued the company’s AI division following rapid reorganizations. In August, the team was split into four separate units, leaving many unsure of who was responsible for specific projects. Despite the chaos, Meta claims that internal morale actually improved in the second half of the year, citing surveys that show rising optimism among the remaining workforce.
For engineers confident in their skills, Meta remains an attractive employer willing to pay a premium for top-tier talent. The company argues that high-pressure environments are necessary to build cutting-edge technology like advanced robotics and AI assistants. However, analysts warn that this “growth at all costs” mentality creates volatility that worries some investors.
We are curious to hear if you believe this aggressive management style will ultimately pay off for Zuckerberg. Please share your thoughts on Meta’s radical transformation in the comments.
