X, owned by Elon Musk, has initiated a fresh round of layoffs, primarily affecting non-technical roles across the organisation, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The job cuts, which have taken place over the past few weeks, have largely impacted teams in marketing and corporate operations, while engineering roles have remained unaffected. More than 20 employees are reported to have been laid off, with reductions carried out gradually rather than through a single large-scale announcement.
The selective nature of the layoffs highlights a broader strategic shift within the company. X appears to be moving away from operating as a conventional social media platform and is instead focusing more heavily on product development, artificial intelligence and infrastructure, where specialised technical talent is prioritised.
The report indicated that roles considered redundant or overlapping have been eliminated, suggesting that the company is restructuring internal operations rather than undertaking blanket downsizing.
The development comes at a time when other social media companies are also reducing headcount. Meta has similarly drawn attention this week for implementing job cuts, reflecting wider changes across the industry.
In other layoff news, Meta Platforms Inc. has laid off about 700 employees across multiple teams, including sales, recruiting and its Reality Labs division, as part of an ongoing restructuring exercise, according to reports.
The job cuts affect employees in the United States as well as international markets, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. Some of those impacted are being offered alternative roles within the company or relocation options to retain employment.
Ahead of the layoffs, certain employees in the Reality Labs division were asked to work remotely, according to people aware of the development.
In a statement, a Meta spokesperson, “Teams across Meta regularly restructure or implement changes to ensure they’re in the best position to achieve their goals. Where possible, we are finding other opportunities for employees whose positions may be impacted.”