Meta employees are up in arms over a mandatory program to train AI on their mouse movements and keystrokes

Meta is introducing new software on its U.S. employees' computers designed to monitor keystrokes and mouse movements as part of an initiative to enhance its AI capabilities. This decision has ignited significant discontent among staff, as revealed by internal communications accessed by Business Insider. According to the internal announcement, the software aims to refine AI models by analyzing how employees interact with common computer functions, such as utilizing keyboard shortcuts and navigating dropdown menus. Reuters was the first to report on this controversial tracking software. One employee expressed their unease, stating, "This makes me super uncomfortable. How do we opt out?" This comment quickly garnered the highest rating among responses on Meta's internal communication platform. The reaction was predominantly negative, with many reacting with angry-face emojis. In response, Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth clarified that opting out is not an option for employees using company-provided laptops, a statement that drew a mix of shocked and angry reactions. A Meta spokesperson reassured employees that there are protections for sensitive information and emphasized that the collected data would not be used for purposes outside of AI training. Despite the backlash, it's important to note that monitoring employee activities on work devices has been standard practice at Meta, with employees being informed of such policies upon joining the company. This new program is viewed more as an extension of existing monitoring practices rather than a complete policy overhaul. The software will focus exclusively on a select range of commonly used applications, including Gmail, GChat, and MetaMate, an AI assistant intended for staff use. Notably, the tracking will apply only to computers and not to personal mobile devices. As Meta continues to invest heavily in AI, having established a dedicated Superintelligence Labs unit last year and launched various AI-focused initiatives, the company appears committed to integrating AI more deeply into its operations, despite employee concerns.