Goal is installing tracking software on the work computers of US-based employees and contractors to monitor keystrokes, mouse clicks, movements and screenshots. The goal is to use the data to train your AI models. The program, called the Model Capability Initiativewas revealed in an internal memo shared by a researcher at the company’s Superintelligence Labs channel, according to Reuters.
The software will work on work-related apps and websites, such as Gmail, GChat, and Metamate, which is Meta’s in-house AI assistant for employees. Phones used for work are not included in tracking.
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth confirmed that employees using work laptops do not have the option to opt out of tracking.
What Meta collects from employees’ work computers
Meta explains that its tracking system focuses on understanding how employees interact with computers, capturing actions such as selecting options from drop-down menus and using keyboard shortcuts. The company states that this data is intended to help train AI models on tasks they cannot yet perform regardless.
“Everyone at Meta can contribute to improving our models simply by doing their daily work,” the memo notes. Bosworth described the long-term goal as developing AI agents that can perform tasks while employees monitor and refine their work.
In a statement to CNET, Meta confirmed that the tool collects input data from specific applications to provide AI models with real examples of human-computer interaction. The company emphasized that the data will not be used in performance evaluations, will not be accessible to managers and that safeguards are in place to protect confidential information.
How employees and privacy experts are responding
Business Insider described the internal reaction as employees being divided and some feeling strongly opposed. An employee asked on an internal communications platform how to opt-out, and Bosworth responded that there is no opt-out option on work laptops. Staff reactions included shocked, crying and angry emoji responses.
Eric Null, director of the Data and Privacy Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, called the plan one of the most invasive forms of workplace surveillance. He also noted that it could cause real harm to people with disabilities and has the potential to reinforce structural biases if used for AI training.
Why Meta is expanding this tracking now
The tracking program is introduced as Meta prepares to fire approx. 8,000 employeesabout 10% of your total 79,000 workersstarting May 20. The company is investing more than $135 billion in artificial intelligence development this year and recently launched spark museits first proprietary AI model created by Superintelligence Labs.
Meta has not provided details on data retention periods, what is considered sensitive content under its safeguards, or how the collected interaction data will be used to train its models.
