Meta is deploying tracking software on the computers of its employees in the United States to observe mouse movements, clicks, and keystrokes to enhance its AI models, as stated in internal communications reviewed by Reuters. The software, named Model Capability Initiative, will be active on work-related tools and websites and will intermittently capture screenshots of employee screens, as outlined in a memo shared by a staff AI research scientist on Tuesday. This data collection aims to enhance Meta’s AI models in areas where they face challenges in replicating human-computer interactions, like navigating dropdown menus and utilizing keyboard shortcuts.
According to a Reuters report, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth informed employees in a separate memo about the company’s plans to expand internal data collection as part of the “AI for Work” initiative, now rebranded as Agent Transformation Accelerator. Bosworth’s vision involves employees primarily executing tasks while Meta’s role shifts to providing guidance, evaluation, and assistance for improvement.
Meta’s spokesperson, Andy Stone, verified that the collected data will be utilized for model training purposes, emphasizing that measures are in place to safeguard “sensitive content,” without specifying the exclusions. Stone clarified that the data will not be used for performance evaluations.
This initiative coincides with Meta’s intention to reduce its global workforce by 10% starting from May 20, with further downsizing anticipated later in the year. Amazon recently downsized 30,000 corporate positions, while Block executed a workforce reduction of nearly 50% in February.
Legal experts have pointed out that US federal laws do not impose restrictions on monitoring employees; however, European regulations would likely prohibit such surveillance. In Italy, electronic monitoring for productivity is explicitly banned, and German courts have only allowed keystroke logging in exceptional circumstances, such as during criminal investigations.