Snap cuts 1,000 jobs, citing AI advancements for workforce reduction

Snap is laying off approximately 1,000 employees, representing 16% of its global workforce, with the company citing advancements in artificial intelligence as a factor in the job cuts. In a memo sent to staff on Wednesday, CEO Evan Spiegel said the layoffs are necessary to realize Snap's long-term potential and that AI enables teams to reduce repetitive work, increase velocity, and better support users, partners, and advertisers. The memo was made public via an SEC filing. "While these changes are necessary to realize Snap's long-term potential, we believe that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence enable our teams to reduce repetitive work, increase velocity, and better support our community, partners, and advertisers," Spiegel wrote. The company is also closing more than 300 open positions. Snap had about 5,261 full-time employees as of December 2025. Snap said the workforce reduction will allow it to reduce its annualized cost base by more than $500 million by the second half of 2026, helping to establish a clearer path to net-income profitability. The company described facing a "crucible moment" between larger tech giants and nimble startups. Employees based in the United States will receive four months of severance, healthcare coverage, equity vesting, and transition support. Snap joins other tech companies that have implemented significant workforce reductions this year, including Meta, Oracle, and Amazon. The company said it has already seen small teams leveraging AI tools to drive progress on initiatives including Snapchat+, ad platform performance, and infrastructure efficiency improvements.