Mark Zuckerberg faces a federal lawsuit as 26 former Meta employees allege the company used artificial intelligence to unfairly select them for layoffs.
Mark Zuckerberg is facing a federal lawsuit after 26 former Meta employees alleged that the social media giant used artificial intelligence to unfairly select them for a massive workforce reduction. The complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, claims that Meta’s internal AI tools ranked employees based on metrics such as keystrokes, activity monitoring, and AI token usage. Because these metrics are difficult to accumulate during periods of absence, the plaintiffs argue that employees on protected medical or family leave were disproportionately laid off. The lawsuit asserts that the company's "constellation of internal artificial-intelligence systems" failed to account for approved leaves, potentially discriminating against workers with disabilities or those on maternity leave. Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton defended the company, stating that the claims lack merit and that organizational decisions are made by people rather than AI. The plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary injunction to maintain their employment status while they pursue their claims through arbitration.