Zuckerberg says 2026 will redefine how Meta works as AI reshapes teams and productivity

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said artificial intelligence will begin to dramatically change how the company operates in 2026, as AI tools enable smaller teams, faster execution, and entirely new kinds of products.

Speaking during Meta’s fourth quarter earnings call on January 28, Zuckerberg said the company is investing heavily in AI-native tools to help individual contributors do more, while flattening organisational structures.

“Our north star is building the best place for individuals to make a massive impact,” Zuckerberg said, adding that AI is already allowing projects that once needed large teams to be handled by a single highly skilled person.

According to Zuckerberg, AI agents are now starting to deliver real results inside the company. These systems are helping employees automate complex work and experiment with new product ideas at a much faster pace.

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He noted that adoption levels are creating a clear productivity gap. Employees who use AI tools effectively are becoming significantly more efficient than those who do not, a trend he believes will reshape the broader technology sector.

Meta is also working to integrate autonomous AI agents across its platforms. In December, the company acquired Singapore-based Manus for a reported $2 billion. The startup is known for building a general-purpose agent capable of handling tasks such as market research, coding, and data analysis with minimal human input.

Zuckerberg said these tools could unlock a sharp increase in output over time, although he cautioned that it is difficult to predict exactly how Meta’s organisational structure will evolve.

He emphasised that while AI tools may be available everywhere, Meta offers something unique. The company’s scale allows developers to ship personalised products to billions of users, making it an attractive destination for top talent.

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Over the past year, Meta has aggressively recruited AI researchers and engineers, offering some of the largest compensation packages in the industry. The hiring push followed setbacks in the company’s AI roadmap, including delays to advanced models and mixed reception to Llama 4.

Meta has also reshaped its leadership and research structure. It invested $14.3 billion for a 49 percent stake in data-labeling firm Scale AI and appointed its CEO, Alexandr Wang, as chief AI officer. The company consolidated its AI teams under Meta Superintelligence Labs, bringing together foundation models, product teams, and fundamental research efforts.

At the same time, Meta has reduced headcount in areas it considers less aligned with its AI priorities. Around 600 employees were laid off from the AI division in October 2025, while more than 1,000 roles were cut from Reality Labs earlier this month as resources were redirected toward AI-powered glasses, wearables, and mobile features. Longtime chief AI scientist Yann LeCun also recently left to launch his own startup focused on world models.

Looking ahead, Zuckerberg said Meta plans to begin releasing new AI models and products in the coming months. While he described the initial releases as incremental, he said they would demonstrate the company’s pace of improvement.

Meta is backing that ambition with a sharp rise in spending. The company expects capital expenditure for 2026 to range between $115 billion and $135 billion, nearly double last year’s outlay.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Meta reported revenue of $59.89 billion, a 24 percent increase year on year. Net profit rose 9.2 percent to $22.76 billion. Zuckerberg also said more than 3.5 billion people now use at least one Meta app daily, with Facebook and WhatsApp each reaching two billion daily users.