Meta's Layoffs in Metaverse Silicon Unit Signal Struggles Amid Quest 3 Launch
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is reportedly planning to lay off employees in its metaverse-oriented Reality Labs division, specifically in the unit focused on creating custom silicon. The extent of the cuts to the silicon unit, called Facebook Agile Silicon Team (FAST), is unknown. The layoffs could potentially impact Meta's efforts to build augmented and virtual reality products, including AR glasses. The FAST unit, which has around 600 employees, has been working on developing custom chips for Meta's devices. Meta has struggled to compete with external chip providers and has turned to Qualcomm for chip production. A restructuring of FAST has been expected since the spring, and a separate chip-making unit in Meta's infrastructure division has also faced challenges. Meta has been cutting jobs to rein in costs and address concerns about revenue growth.