Meta faces discrimination lawsuit over AI use in mass layoffs

Meta Platforms Inc. is facing a new class-action lawsuit that claims the company used artificial intelligence (AI) to discriminate against employees with disabilities or those on medical or family leave during its recent mass layoffs. The suit was filed in federal court in Oakland, California, by 26 current and former Meta employees from across the United States.

The lawsuit alleges that Meta utilized a "constellation of internal AI systems" to generate its termination lists. These methods reportedly included analyzing employee data such as keystroke activity and performance rankings. The lawsuit claims these AI systems failed to account for employees' absences due to legally protected medical or family leave, effectively penalizing them for exercising their rights.

Plaintiffs cite instances where individuals were allegedly selected for termination while on approved leave. One plaintiff reportedly faced layoff selection while on pre-birth leave, and another claimed a manager discouraged them from taking medical leave, citing potential termination by senior leadership. Meta has denied the allegations, stating that workforce decisions are made by people, not AI.

In May, Meta announced significant workforce reductions, impacting approximately 10% of its employees, totaling nearly 8,000 individuals. The lawsuit seeks to prevent Meta from using AI and existing federal and state anti-discrimination laws in selecting employees for future layoffs.