Meta Adjusts AI Unit Staffing, Offers Some Non-Managers Return to Leadership Roles

Meta has recently adjusted staffing in its Application AI (AAI) unit, inviting some employees in non-management roles to move back into managerial positions, according to Business Insider, citing four people familiar with the matter. One of the sources said the move is voluntary for employees.

AAI was established by Meta in 2026 to handle AI model training. About 7,000 employees were moved into the unit, some of whom had previously held management roles but were no longer managers after the transfer.

The change partly reverses Meta's earlier direction of cutting middle managers and streamlining the organization. Over the past year, Meta has repeatedly reduced management layers, arguing that smaller teams and fewer levels of hierarchy improve efficiency. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has particularly favored lean, startup-style structures as AI takes on more work.

In 2026, Meta cut about 10% of its workforce through broad layoffs to boost operational efficiency and offset the costs of heavy AI investment. An analysis of public layoff notices by Business Insider found that managers were a key target. Meta has also adjusted internal arrangements before; some employees moved into AAI had complained about being "drafted" into the unit and were later allowed to leave.

Not all tech companies agree with reducing management roles and shrinking teams. Uber recently announced it would eliminate half of its "micro teams" during layoffs.