Meta is implementing a new system to track its employees' computer activities—including keystrokes and mouse clicks—to gather data for training artificial intelligence models. The company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, informed workers on Tuesday that a tool will be installed on corporate devices and internal applications to log user interactions.
A Meta spokesperson explained the rationale behind the move: "To develop AI agents capable of assisting with everyday computer tasks, our models require authentic examples of how people actually use these systems." The company emphasized that the collected data is solely for AI training and includes safeguards to protect sensitive information.
However, the initiative has sparked concern among some employees. One current Meta worker, who requested anonymity, described the monitoring as "very dystopian," especially amid expectations of further job cuts. "This company has become obsessed with AI," they remarked.
Another recent departure criticized the approach, calling it "just the latest way they're shoving AI down everyone's throat."
This development comes as Meta continues to restructure its workforce. The company has already laid off approximately 2,000 employees this year in smaller rounds, with deeper cuts anticipated in the coming months. A hiring freeze implemented last month appears to be expanding—job listings on Meta's careers site have plummeted from about 800 in March to just seven currently.
The tracking tool, known as the Model Capability Initiative (MCI), represents a shift in how employee data is utilized. While Meta has historically had access to activity on its systems, the deliberate logging of interactions specifically for AI training purposes is a new development.
Meta's aggressive push into AI is backed by substantial financial commitments. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced plans to increase spending on AI projects, with investments projected to reach roughly $140 billion in 2026—nearly double the previous year's allocation. The company acquired data-labeling firm Scale AI for over $14 billion in 2025, integrating its executives to bolster AI development.
The first major product from Meta's reformed Superintelligence Labs, Muse Spark, launched last month. The employee tracking data is intended to train new AI models emerging from this research division.
Zuckerberg has positioned 2026 as a pivotal year for AI's impact on work, stating, "We're starting to see projects that used to require large teams now being accomplished by a single, highly skilled individual."