Synopsis
The new initiative signals Zuckerberg's strategic push to build on one of Meta’s core strengths amid intensifying AI competition. Per a December 2025 report, 92% of businesses using the company’s platforms in India are MSMEs.Under the initiative, the company aims to help small business owners build and grow using Meta's AI models and tools.
“Small businesses have always been the majority of our business model. Tens of millions of entrepreneurs use our platforms every day to connect with customers and grow. We've already built the leading tools in this space, and now we're going to do more. In the AI era, it should be easier than ever for people to build new businesses. We want to build the services that enable this,” Zuckerberg wrote in an internal note, as per Axios.
The move signals Zuckerberg's strategic push to build on one of Meta’s core strengths amid intensifying AI competition.
While rivals like Google and Microsoft focus on large-scale enterprise offerings, Meta is leaning into its vast base of small business users.
More than 250 million small businesses globally use the company’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Per Axios, the initiative will be led by recently appointed Meta president and vice-chairman Dina Powell McCormick and head of product Naomi Gleit.
This is particularly significant for Meta's India presence. In a December 2025 report, the company had revealed that 92% of businesses using its platforms in India are MSMEs.
The announcement comes on the same day that The Information reported that Meta is laying off a few hundred employees across teams, including Reality Labs, social media, and recruiting.
The company had nearly 79,000 employees as of December 31, according to its CY2025 annual filing. The restructuring and the new small business initiative come as Meta seeks to manage rising costs from aggressive AI investments and higher pay for top talent. The company has projected total expenses of $162 billion to $169 billion in 2026.
