Zuckerberg's Meta layoffs memo: 'Success isn't a given' in the AI era

Key points

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at a dinner with tech leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Sept.
• 4, 2025. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees in a memo Wednesday that the company's decision to lay off 8,000 employees is necessary because "success isn't a given" in the fierce and competitive space of artificial intelligence.
• "AI is the most consequential technology of our lifetimes," Zuckerberg said in the memo, which was viewed by CNBC.
• "The companies that lead the way will define the next generation." Meta declined to comment.
• The New York Times first reported on the employee memo.