Meta to reportedly lay off 10% of Reality Labs staff

Meta is set to reduce its workforce in the Reality Labs division by 10%, a move that could affect over 1,000 employees from a total of around 15,000, according to a report by the New York Times. This division is pivotal for the company’s developments in virtual reality and metaverse initiatives. In a separate report by CNBC, it was revealed that Meta plans to close several studios, including Armature Studio, Twisted Pixel, and Sanzaru, as well as a technical unit known as Oculus Studios Central Technology, which had been focused on virtual reality projects. Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer and head of Reality Labs, has called for a crucial in-person meeting scheduled for January 14, which he referred to as the "most important" of the year. Notably, the layoffs will not affect teams working on augmented reality, as Meta is keen on advancing its ambitions to develop innovative glasses and controllers. The funds saved from these layoffs are expected to be redirected towards augmented reality development. This strategic shift comes as Meta, which rebranded to emphasize its metaverse vision in 2021, is also significantly investing in artificial intelligence. Recently, they appointed Vishal Shah, the former head of metaverse initiatives, as vice president overseeing AI products. Additionally, the company has been reorganizing its structure to establish Superintelligence Labs, following the recruitment of Alexandr Wang from Scale AI. To attract top talent, Meta has been offering competitive packages to researchers at other labs. As of now, Meta has not provided a response to requests for comments on these developments.