Tech Report: Meta layoffs, AI race and app boom highlight shifting tech landscape

Major changes are underway in the tech industry, as Meta prepares for significant layoffs while artificial intelligence continues to reshape the global economy.

(LILAMAX)- According to a report from Reuters, the parent company of Instagram plans to cut about 10% of its workforce—roughly 8,000 employees—in an initial round expected May 20. Additional layoffs could follow later in the year, depending on the company’s progress in AI development.

Meanwhile, the United States maintains a strong lead in AI infrastructure, with more than 5,400 data centers compared to about 449 in China. By the end of 2025, global AI data center power usage reached 29.6 gigawatts—roughly equivalent to powering all of New York state.

Despite that advantage, experts say the U.S. and China remain closely matched in overall AI performance, signaling an increasingly competitive global race.

In healthcare, AI’s impact is proving more complicated.

A study from the Peterson Health Technology Institute suggests that while AI tools can streamline administrative processes like prior authorizations, they may also increase overall costs and transaction volumes once the price of the technology itself is factored in.

At the same time, AI is fueling a surge in app development.

New data from Appfigures shows global app releases jumped 60% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026 across both Apple App Store and Google Play.

Analysts say AI tools are making it easier than ever for developers—and even beginners—to create apps, driving a resurgence in the app marketplace.