The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Meta on Wednesday laid off about 700 employees, an unnamed source said, marking the latest downsizing as it shifts its focus toward artificial intelligence. A New York Times dispatch to The Globe reports that less than 24 hours earlier, Meta introduced a new stock plan for six top executives that could increase their compensation by as much as $921-million each over the next five years (all figures U.S.). Meta said the move was a way to retain talent in the AI era and encourage ambitious growth. The dichotomy -- cutting some employees while rewarding high-ranking executives -- highlights how much AI has transformed the tech industry. In recent years, Meta has been trying to move beyond its social media and metaverse ventures. Meta chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg has announced that he is working to create "superintelligence," or a godlike AI that can serve as the ultimate personal companion. The program allows the executives to buy additional Meta stock options if the company hits certain growth targets. The most aggressive target is for Meta to become a $9-trillion company by 2031. Its current market capitalization stands at around $1.5-trillion.