Did AI help decide Meta's layoffs? Lawsuit makes a serious claim
Twenty-six Meta employees have accused the company of using AI-assisted tools to score workers ahead of layoffs. The case could test how far employers can rely on such systems in workplace decisions.
Can artificial intelligence help decide who gets laid off?
That is the question at the heart of a new lawsuit against Meta, where 26 employees have accused the Facebook and Instagram parent of using AI-powered tools that unfairly targeted workers with disabilities, medical conditions and those who had taken leave, reported news agency Reuters.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, alleges that Meta relied on AI-assisted software to score and rank employees before carrying out mass layoffs earlier this year. The workers, who were informed in May that their jobs would be eliminated from July 22, are seeking a court order to temporarily stop the layoffs while they pursue their claims through arbitration.
Meta has denied the allegations.
"Workforce management and organisational decisions were and are made by people, not AI," a company spokesperson said as quoted by Reuters.
The case appears to be the first lawsuit against a major US company challenging the alleged use of AI in deciding layoffs.
WHAT ARE THE EMPLOYEES ALLEGING?
The 26 employees claim Meta's AI-assisted systems gave lower scores to workers who had taken medical leave, were living with disabilities, were pregnant or had taken time off to care for family members.
According to the lawsuit, the company considered factors such as productivity and AI token usage while preparing lists of employees to be laid off.
The workers argue that these systems put employees who had missed work for legitimate reasons at a disadvantage when compared with colleagues who had been working continuously.
WHICH AI TOOLS ARE UNDER SCRUTINY?
According to the complaint, Meta used several internal AI-assisted tools during the evaluation process.
These allegedly included "Metamate", the company's large language model assistant, an employee-trained "second brain" that tracked workers' communications and documents, and a productivity score generated by analysing keystrokes, screen activity, emails and browser history.
The employees claim these AI-assisted systems were used to score and rank workers before final decisions on layoffs were made.
WHAT DOES THE LAWSUIT CLAIM?
The employees have accused Meta of violating US federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination against workers with disabilities, those who take medical leave and pregnant employees.
They have also alleged that the company failed to test its AI systems for bias, as required under recently introduced laws in California and New York City.
The plaintiffs, who have filed the case anonymously, come from six US states and the District of Columbia.
WHAT DOES META SAY?
Meta has rejected the allegations, saying AI did not make decisions about layoffs.
"Workforce management and organisational decisions were and are made by people, not AI," the company said.
The company has not commented on the specific allegations relating to the internal tools mentioned in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit comes as large technology companies increasingly use AI tools to improve productivity and automate workplace processes.
Meta laid off around 10% of its global workforce, or nearly 8,000 employees, in May as part of a broader restructuring while increasing investments in artificial intelligence. Reuters had also reported that the company was planning more job cuts later this year, although CEO Mark Zuckerberg has since said he does not expect any further company-wide layoffs this year.
The outcome of the case could be closely watched across the technology industry, as it may help define how companies can use AI in workplace decisions and whether employers can rely on AI-assisted systems when evaluating employees for layoffs.
Can artificial intelligence help decide who gets laid off?
That is the question at the heart of a new lawsuit against Meta, where 26 employees have accused the Facebook and Instagram parent of using AI-powered tools that unfairly targeted workers with disabilities, medical conditions and those who had taken leave, reported news agency Reuters.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, alleges that Meta relied on AI-assisted software to score and rank employees before carrying out mass layoffs earlier this year. The workers, who were informed in May that their jobs would be eliminated from July 22, are seeking a court order to temporarily stop the layoffs while they pursue their claims through arbitration.
Meta has denied the allegations.
"Workforce management and organisational decisions were and are made by people, not AI," a company spokesperson said as quoted by Reuters.
The case appears to be the first lawsuit against a major US company challenging the alleged use of AI in deciding layoffs.
WHAT ARE THE EMPLOYEES ALLEGING?
The 26 employees claim Meta's AI-assisted systems gave lower scores to workers who had taken medical leave, were living with disabilities, were pregnant or had taken time off to care for family members.
According to the lawsuit, the company considered factors such as productivity and AI token usage while preparing lists of employees to be laid off.
The workers argue that these systems put employees who had missed work for legitimate reasons at a disadvantage when compared with colleagues who had been working continuously.
WHICH AI TOOLS ARE UNDER SCRUTINY?
According to the complaint, Meta used several internal AI-assisted tools during the evaluation process.
These allegedly included "Metamate", the company's large language model assistant, an employee-trained "second brain" that tracked workers' communications and documents, and a productivity score generated by analysing keystrokes, screen activity, emails and browser history.
The employees claim these AI-assisted systems were used to score and rank workers before final decisions on layoffs were made.
WHAT DOES THE LAWSUIT CLAIM?
The employees have accused Meta of violating US federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination against workers with disabilities, those who take medical leave and pregnant employees.
They have also alleged that the company failed to test its AI systems for bias, as required under recently introduced laws in California and New York City.
The plaintiffs, who have filed the case anonymously, come from six US states and the District of Columbia.
WHAT DOES META SAY?
Meta has rejected the allegations, saying AI did not make decisions about layoffs.
"Workforce management and organisational decisions were and are made by people, not AI," the company said.
The company has not commented on the specific allegations relating to the internal tools mentioned in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit comes as large technology companies increasingly use AI tools to improve productivity and automate workplace processes.
Meta laid off around 10% of its global workforce, or nearly 8,000 employees, in May as part of a broader restructuring while increasing investments in artificial intelligence. Reuters had also reported that the company was planning more job cuts later this year, although CEO Mark Zuckerberg has since said he does not expect any further company-wide layoffs this year.
The outcome of the case could be closely watched across the technology industry, as it may help define how companies can use AI in workplace decisions and whether employers can rely on AI-assisted systems when evaluating employees for layoffs.
