Leaked Video Shows Departing Meta Engineer Mocking AI Layoff Culture in Viral 'American Pie' Parody Farewell

Thousands of workers found themselves unemployed following Meta's decision to lay off staff, amounting to roughly 10 per cent of the company's global workforce as it transitions towards artificial intelligence (AI). At the same time, approximately 7,000 employees were reassigned to train AI models.

One of those affected by the layoffs was David Frenk, a tech lead at the company. A look at his LinkedIn profile shows that he managed a team of 30 people responsible for running recommendation platforms for Meta products. Beyond his work, however, Frenk revealed a different kind of talent — one that came fully into view following his exit from Meta.

In what appeared to be his way of expressing disdain for Meta's decision to prioritise AI over human workers, Frenk laid bare his feelings in a farewell parody video set to the tune of American Pie, which was exclusively reported by Mother Jones.

The parody video initially appeared on an internal message board. But it has now made it to the open internet, with the video going viral on Mother Jones' YouTube channel. The video garnered over 33,000 views in two days, but many are praising his parody in the comments for capturing the sentiment of the AI-led layoff culture.

Watch the video below:

Frenk Leaves in Style

Frenk could have opted to leave Meta in the traditional manner. Typically, departing employees post a farewell badge on the company's internal message board.

In his case, however, Frenk chose to use his musical talent and exit with a parody instead. The video was widely praised, with some reacting that the former employee successfully chronicled the company's history and illustrated how the increased reliance on AI resulted in job losses.

One section of the song that resonated particularly well included the following lyrics:

'And now I'm singing bye, bye, to professional pride
Sign the petition, no more wishing, just deny MCI
It's the human touch that lets you know you're alive
Maybe this can't be replaced with AI'

'In a light-hearted way, even if you truly believe this is the direction the company should take, everything in the video still rings true,' an unnamed employee said via Mother Jones.

Zuckerberg Bets on AI for Success

What likely fuelled the frustration of laid-off employees further was a memo issued by Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, explaining why the company is shifting its focus towards AI. Dated 20 May, the memo stated that success is far from guaranteed in the highly competitive artificial intelligence space, according to documents seen by CNBC.

For 2026, Meta has earmarked between $115 billion and $135 billion in capital expenditure. Total expenses for the year are projected to reach as much as $169 billion, as the company pursues the development of AI systems capable of surpassing human intelligence.

'The way to think about the investment is that we're making a bet [on] the individual things that people care about, and that people are going to be more important in the future,' Zuckerberg said during an earnings call last month.

Employees affected by the first wave of layoffs will receive a severance package equivalent to 16 weeks of base pay, plus an additional two weeks for each year of service. They will also continue to receive healthcare coverage for the duration of the severance period.

For those not included in the initial round of cuts, the company has entered a period of adjustment. Some engineering managers have shared that they have been reassigned as individual contributors — a move tied to Meta's broader AI-driven restructuring.

A second wave of layoffs is expected in the latter half of 2026. At that point, the global workforce reduction could reach 20 per cent, potentially leaving even more workers unemployed as companies increasingly view AI as essential to staying competitive.