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- Meta's Model Capability Initiative installs mouse tracking software on company-issued PCs
- User activity is monitored to train future AI models to autonomously control computers
- Workers fear that future AI systems could replace human jobs
Employees at Meta have started protesting against the company's rollout of mouse tracking software being deployed on work devices – but it's not entirely for privacy reasons.
Facebook's parent company is reportedly installing software that monitors mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes, menu and dropdown navigation and even what's on users' screens, and it's all said to be in aid of training AI agents to perform real-world computer tasks more naturally.
Consequentially, workers are now fighting back against this move over concerns that they're effectively helping train AI systems that could eventually replace members of the workforce.
Meta's mouse tracking criticized for fuelling potential job cuts
Now, according to Reuters, posters are appearing across Meta's offices asking 'Don't want to work at the Employee Data Extraction Factory?'.
"If we're building agents to help people complete everyday tasks using computers, our models need real examples of how people actually use them," Meta spokesperson Andy Stone explained.
The Model Capability Initiative (MCI) was revealed in an April 22 memo internally, and promised an opportunity for "all Meta employees [to] help [its] models get better simply by doing their daily work."
However, reports suggest there is no opt-out for employees using company-issued devices, giving them no say in the matter.
The timing of this isn't insignificant – we already know Meta is set to lay off around 10% of its workers (or 8,000 individuals) this month.
"Meta’s workers are paying the price for management’s reckless and expensive bets," United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW) organizer Eleanor Payne added.
"While executives chase speculative AI strategies, staff are facing devastating job cuts, draconian surveillance, and the cruel reality of being forced to train the inefficient systems being positioned to replace them."
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