AI Cuts: Microsoft & Meta Slash Jobs, Invest Billions

0:00On April 23rd, Microsoft and Meta are slashing thousands of jobs right now, even as they dump billions into artificial intelligence. Meta's laying off hundreds, while Microsoft's offering voluntary bios to over 8,000 long-time workers, mainly those whose age plus years on. The job hit 70 or more. Both companies say AI is already boosting productivity enough to shrink teams. Earlier this week, Meta's chief HR officer called it a tough call, but promised solid severance for those hit. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg's been blunt. Telling investors one talented person with AI can handle what used to take whole squads. Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, brags that AI is doing up to 30% of their coding already. Tech workers are freaking out and for good reason. Fears are spreading that bosses see AI as a cheap replacement. Employees at Meta are even getting their every click and keystroke tracked on company laptops to train those AI models. On the flip side, execs like Microsoft's AI boss, predict most white collar gigs, could

1:02vanish in the next 12 to 18 months. Zuckerberg bets half of Meta's dev work will be AI driven by next year. Spendings exploding too, with Microsoft eyeing 1.10 to $120 billion on AI infrastructure alone. This wave hits beyond just these giants, as Amazon, Oracle, and others, cut tens of thousands while chasing the same AI high. It's clear the tech world's betting big, that smarter machines mean leaner crews moving forward.