Meta is rebranding some employees as “AI builders” and organizing them into AI-native “pods,” according to a leaked memo obtained by Business Insider.
The memo included an overhaul of roles, titles, and team structure for Meta’s entire team of 1,000 employees within Reality Labs. This is part of Meta’s broader push to embrace smaller teams and use AI.
The pilot program was announced last month within the Reality Labs team that builds developer tools. Everyone in this department will have one of three job titles: AI Builder, AI Pod Lead, or AI Org Lead. This is to encourage the transition to a flat organization advocated by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
“Our ultimate goal is to make a significant difference in engineering productivity and product quality,” the memo says. “To achieve this, we are fundamentally re-engineering the way we operate, our organizational structure and the way we support each other.”
Asked for comment, Mehta referred to Zuckerberg’s comments earlier this year that 2026 is the year that AI will begin to “drastically change the way we work,” with projects that once required large teams potentially being handled by one “very talented” person.
According to the memo, each pod is made up of a small group of AI builders focused on a specific outcome, often working across disciplines. For example, engineers can undertake design work depending on the task. Business Insider previously reported that some Meta employees have already started calling themselves AI builders on LinkedIn.
These pods are led by a pod leader who oversees day-to-day operations. These are overseen by organizational leaders, who manage performance reviews and also oversee promotions, a process supported by unspecified “AI systems.”
According to the memo, the overall size of the team will remain the same under the new structure.
Meta laid off hundreds of staff on Wednesday, and the layoffs affected staff at teams such as Reality Labs. A Meta spokesperson said the reorganization is not related to layoffs.
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