In a recent development, Meta Platforms is reportedly set to announce employee layoffs within its Reality Labs metaverse division today, October 4.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the company is preparing to implement layoffs in its Reality Labs metaverse division, which is a significant step for Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook. Employees within the division were allegedly informed of the impending layoffs via a post on Workplace, the company’s internal discussion forum, on Tuesday, October 3. The post indicated that affected employees would receive official notifications regarding their employment status within the company on the morning of October 4.
As of now, Meta Platforms has refrained from providing official comments or confirming the reported layoffs. Reuters, the news agency, has been unable to ascertain the precise number of employees affected by the layoffs within the Facebook Agile Silicon Team (FAST) division.
The potential mass layoffs within the Reality Labs metaverse division could have implications for Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg has been spearheading projects involving Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) products designed to provide access to virtual realms known as the Metaverse. Among these products are AR glasses, which Zuckerberg believes will “redefine our relationship with technology.”
The FAST division, comprising approximately 600 employees, plays a crucial role in the development of custom chips tailored to enhance the performance and efficiency of Meta’s devices. These chips set Meta’s devices apart from others entering the burgeoning AR/VR market.
However, Meta has encountered challenges in manufacturing chips that can rival those produced by other suppliers. As a result, the company turned to chipmaker Qualcomm to manufacture chips for its metaverse devices currently available on the market.
The layoffs within Meta’s Reality Labs metaverse division could signify strategic shifts within the company as it continues to navigate the evolving landscape of AR, VR, and the Metaverse.