Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has paused a company-wide programme tracking employees' computer usage for AI training due to concerns over data protection and employee consent. The programme, known as the Model Capability Initiative (MCI), was started just two months ago as part of an effort to gather data on how people use computers, including mouse clicks and keystrokes, that could be used to train artificial intelligence models.
The programme was met with immediate frustration from employees, who were concerned about where the collected data was going and how it would be protected. This concern grew after it was discovered that some of the collected data had been left potentially accessible to anyone inside the company.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed that the programme is 'on pause for now' as the company investigates the issue. The spokesperson added that there is no indication that any data was improperly accessed by Meta employees.
The move comes after weeks of internal frustration among workers, who have been subjected to extensive layoffs and reorganisation around AI initiatives. The company is spending up to £109 billion on AI this year alone, which has led to feelings of exhaustion and depression among some employees.