Employees at Meta have been voicing widespread dissatisfaction, particularly due to the ongoing wave of layoffs the company has experienced in recent years, which have intensified as funds are redirected towards artificial intelligence projects. A recent article in Wired highlights that the Applied AI division is reportedly nearing a tipping point, reflecting growing frustration and discontent among its members.
The unrest came to a head during a livestreamed presentation exclusive to employees when an unexpected outburst disrupted the event. An individual interrupted with an explicit tirade, urging attendees to express their feelings towards a senior AI executive, which left one of the presenters visibly distressed. This incident encapsulates the deep-seated discontent brewing within the recently established team of approximately 6,500 engineers and product managers dedicated to advancing Meta's AI initiatives.
Many employees claim they were reassigned to this group under duress, essentially indicating they had no option but to comply or resign. Some have even referred to themselves as "draftees." Their primary responsibilities involve creating puzzles and coding challenges aimed at enhancing AI training. One disgruntled employee likened their situation to “the gulag,” while another described the tasks as "soul-crushing."
An earlier report from Business Insider revealed that numerous employees discovered their shifts into this team through abrupt email notifications, a process described as "quite random" by one person sharing their experience on Reddit. An internal announcement indicated that Meta’s AI models were still unable to surpass human performance in technical tasks like programming. The company acknowledged the need for models trained on real-world examples to better understand how people use computers.
In a leaked audio from an internal meeting, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg clarified the rationale behind utilizing in-house engineers rather than outsourcing the work. He highlighted the expertise of Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of Scale AI who now leads Meta’s AI efforts, asserting the belief that the company’s workforce possesses "significantly higher" intelligence than external contractor solutions.
Additionally, over 1,600 Meta employees have signed a petition objecting to a program that tracks their clicks and keystrokes for AI development. The overall atmosphere at the firm is so grim that Chris Cox, the chief product officer, openly addressed the “brutal” culture affecting morale during an employee call this week.
TechCrunch has sought a response from Meta regarding these pressing issues.
Earlier reports indicate that the Applied AI team, led by Maher Saba—who has spent 12 years at Meta and previously served as a vice president in Reality Labs (the division that invested heavily in the metaverse)—is structured such that one manager oversees up to 50 employees. The organization operates under the supervision of Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth.
In reaction to the unrest, Zuckerberg has sent out an internal memo acknowledging that recent developments have resulted in “distress” among employees, admitting that mistakes were made and committing to rectifying them. He further emphasized the company's ambition to be the most attractive workplace for the most talented individuals looking to make a significant impact.
