Snap to cut 1,000 jobs after activist pressure, bets on AI efficiency

• Snap to lay off about 1,000 employees, 16% of full-time staff
• AI now generates over 65% of Snap’s new code
• Snap to trim $500M yearly costs via layoffs

Snap will lay off about 1,000 employees, including 16% of full-time staff, the company said on Wednesday, becoming the latest tech firm to ramp up AI adoption to streamline operations and shift toward leaner teams.

The move, which also includes the closure of more than 300 open roles, comes weeks after Irenic Capital Management pushed the Snapchat parent to optimize its portfolio and improve performance. The activist investor has an economic interest of about 2.5% in the company.

Snap said advances in artificial intelligence are helping it streamline operations and operate with smaller teams, with AI generating more than 65% of new code as it assigns critical work to focused teams and AI agents. The company had about 5,261 full-time employees as of December.

The social media firm’s shares rose about 9% in premarket trading. The stock has fallen about 31% so far this year.

The company has invested heavily in its augmented reality glasses unit Specs, and plans to launch the product this year.

However, Irenic Capital has urged it to spin off or shut down the cash-burning business, citing more than $3.5 billion in investment and roughly $500 million in annual losses. The investor also called for broader cost cuts.

“Cutting costs may appease an activist in the near term, and give long-suffering shareholders some relief, but whether it really leaves the company with a defensible business model and competitive position that it can defend, develop and turn into profits and cash flow, it is still unclear,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

COST SAVINGS

Snap expects to cut more than $500 million in annualized expenses by the second half of the year through the layoffs, CEO Evan Spiegel said, as part of a broader plan to reduce operating costs and stock-based compensation. He also asked North America employees to work from home on Wednesday.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the workforce by automating routine tasks, with more than 80 tech companies cutting about 71,440 jobs so far this year, according to data aggregator Layoffs.fyi.

Snap expects first-quarter revenue to rise about 12% to roughly $1.53 billion, largely in line with Wall Street expectations, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The social media firm forecast adjusted core profit of about $233 million for January-March, higher than Wall Street expectations of $186.8 million.

The company expects $95 million to $130 million in layoff-related charges, mostly in the second quarter, according to a regulatory filing.

Snap is set to report quarterly results on May 6 after markets close.