Lawsuit Alleges Meta Used AI to Select 8,000 Employees for Layoffs, Targeting Those on Medical Leave

A lawsuit filed by 26 former Meta employees claims the company used artificial intelligence tools—including an internal system called Metamate, keystroke monitoring, and AI adoption dashboards—to rank and select 8,000 workers for termination. The complaint, filed in federal court, alleges that Meta's AI-driven layoffs disproportionately targeted employees with disabilities and those who had taken protected medical or family leave. The plaintiffs assert that Meta graded workers on their use of the company's AI tools, labeling them as 'AI Native,' 'AI First,' or 'AI Enabled' to influence termination decisions.