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Meta sued: AI used to pick employees for layoffs?
16 Jul
Summary
- 26 employees allege Meta used AI to analyze performance for layoffs.
- Lawsuit claims AI system disproportionately affected those on protected leave.
- Meta disputes claims, stating humans, not AI, made layoff decisions.
Meta is currently embroiled in a lawsuit filed by 26 former employees. These individuals allege that the tech giant utilized an internal artificial intelligence system to determine which workers would be laid off.
The AI system reportedly analyzed employee activity, performance rankings, and even usage of AI tools. The lawsuit claims this process disproportionately impacted employees who had taken protected leave, including pregnancy, parental, or medical leave, as their time away reduced the activity metrics used for evaluation.
All 26 anonymous plaintiffs had taken protected leave or requested accommodations for disabilities. While notified of their layoffs, their employment is set to conclude on July 22.
A Meta spokesperson has refuted the allegations, stating that the claims lack merit and are not based on facts. They emphasized that workforce management decisions were made by people, not AI.
The lawsuit further alleges violations of federal and state employment laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
