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Zach Wilson reveals Meta sought him for a principal role while laying off 8,000 staff simultaneously, criticizing toxic AI era layoffs and toxic workplace culture
Meta is currently undergoing a major organisational shift focused on artificial intelligence, with thousands of layoffs
Tech giant Meta is under fire after former software engineer Zach Wilson claimed the company approached him for a senior leadership role while simultaneously laying off nearly 8,000 employees worldwide.
Wilson, who has previously worked with Meta, Netflix and Airbnb, shared the experience in a viral post on X, criticising what he described as the increasingly “toxic” culture surrounding layoffs and AI-driven restructuring in the tech industry.
“Meta reached out to interview me for a principal role the same week they decided to lay off 8,000 people,” Wilson wrote.
His remarks sparked widespread discussion online, with many users questioning why the company was recruiting externally during a large-scale workforce reduction.
Wilson argued that several employees who lost their jobs were likely capable of filling the same position.
“I’m sure there was at least 1 out of those 8,000 people who got let go who would’ve been a good fit for the role they wanted to hire me for,” he wrote, adding, “A few of my staff engineer friends got let go, so I know this is true.”
Meta reached to interview me for a principal role the same week they decided to layoff 8,000 people!I’m sure there was at least 1 out of those 8,000 people who got let go who would’ve been a good fit for the role they wanted to hire me for. A few of my staff engineer friends…
— Zach Wilson (@EcZachly) May 21, 2026
The former engineer also criticised the cycle of aggressive layoffs followed by selective rehiring, claiming companies often treat workers as expendable resources rather than long-term contributors.
“Instead, they axe everybody, treat them like a cost, rehire where there’s pain,” Wilson stated.
According to him, retaining existing employees would not only make more financial sense for companies, but would also reduce the emotional toll on workers suddenly left unemployed.
“It would be cheaper financially for them to retain one of those 8,000 people,” he wrote. “It would be cheaper emotionally for the people who got let go, too,” he continued.
Wilson further reflected on the growing uncertainty employees face in the modern tech landscape, particularly as companies rapidly pivot toward artificial intelligence initiatives.
“How do these big tech companies expect people to put their blood, sweat and tears into work while also saying, ‘yeah, we’ll cut you at any moment’,” he questioned.
“I don’t know. The culture around AI and layoffs has gotten unbelievably toxic.”
In another post, Wilson revealed he exited Meta in 2018 following the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica controversy, saying the scandal deeply affected his trust in the company.
The viral discussion triggered mixed reactions online. While many criticised large tech companies for prioritising AI expansion over employee welfare, others argued that organisations may still hire externally for specialised senior-level roles despite broader restructuring efforts.
A user wrote, “Loyalty died the day companies started calling mass layoffs’ right-sizing’ while aggressively hiring externally. Internal mobility is dead, so people job-hop instead. The AI wave is accelerating this; companies are optimising for speed over people. Sad but predictable.”
While another expressed, “I feel like it will have catastrophic consequences in the future. AI won’t be able to solve all the problems; good engineers won’t even consider Meta, and current employees will be depressed and unmotivated.”
“I think this is a good reminder that no matter how good a job you do or how much you care about a company’s mission, you are just a tool to them at the end of the day.” A third person said.
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