The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is making big changes, and it started 2026 with some job cuts to recalibrate and refocus its efforts on AI-powered biomedical research.
The philanthropic organization, formed by Meta cofounder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, is cutting about 70 jobs, or roughly 8% of its workforce, a CZI spokesperson confirmed to Fortune. The layoffs happened primarily at the organization’s Redwood City headquarters in San Mateo, Calif.
In 2025, Zuckerberg and Chan laid the groundwork for remaking their philanthropic organization into one focused on AI-powered biomedical research and its flagship Biohub network in particular. Their move extends a broader retreat from the couple’s earlier push into education and social justice causes, although they’ll continue to make donations to local organizations.
“I feel like the science work that we’ve done, the Biohub model in particular, has been the most impactful thing that we have done,” Zuckerberg said during an event at the Biohub Imaging Institute in Redwood City in November, according to the Associated Press. “So we want to really double down on that. Biohub is going to be the main focus of our philanthropy going forward.” The couple has committed, through the Giving Pledge, to give away 99% of their lifetime wealth.
