Meta allegedly used AI to layoff employees:Lawsuit claims the system disadvantaged workers with medical conditions

Can artificial intelligence decide who loses their job? A new lawsuit against Meta claims it can, and that it may have unfairly affected employees with disabilities and those who took medical leave. According to Reuters, a group of 26 current and former Meta employees has accused the tech giant of using AI-powered tools to help identify workers for layoffs. They claim the system unfairly ranked people who had taken time off due to illness, disability, pregnancy, or family caregiving responsibilities, putting them at a higher risk of losing their jobs. What does the lawsuit claim? The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Oakland, California. The employees allege that Meta relied on AI-assisted software and productivity-related data while deciding which workers would be laid off during the company’s recent job cuts. According to the complaint, employees who had missed work because of medical conditions or family leave were given lower rankings, making them more likely to be selected for layoffs. The workers were informed in May that their jobs would end starting July 22. How was AI allegedly used? The lawsuit claims Meta used several internal AI-supported systems to evaluate employees. These reportedly included: The employees argue that these systems were used to rank workers on termination lists without properly considering why some employees had lower productivity scores. Also read: What if your phone or laptop gets wet in rain?: Protect your gadgets this monsoon season with these 8 smart safety tips

Why do employees say the system was unfair? The plaintiffs argue that workers who were on medical leave, had disabilities, were pregnant, or took leave to care for family members naturally had lower work activity. They claim the AI-assisted evaluation failed to account for these circumstances, resulting in discrimination against protected employees. The lawsuit also alleges that Meta did not properly test its AI systems for bias, which the workers say violates recently introduced laws in California and New York City. Meta responds Meta has rejected the allegations. A company spokesperson said: Workforce management and organizational decisions were and are made by people, not AI. The company added that it believes the claims have no merit. Meta’s recent layoffs Meta cut around 10% of its global workforce, affecting nearly 8,000 employees, in May as part of its broader restructuring efforts. The company has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence and expanding the use of AI across its products and internal operations. Although Reuters had earlier reported that more layoffs were expected, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has since said that the company does not expect any additional company-wide layoffs this year. Also read: US plans space ‘mirrors’ to bring sunlight at night: Whenever and wherever you want, there will be light; two satellites could be launched this year

First country to do layoff decisions using AI? Legal experts believe this could become one of the first major lawsuits in the United States to directly challenge the alleged use of AI in making layoff decisions. As more companies use AI to assist with hiring, performance reviews, and workforce management, the outcome of this case could influence how employers are allowed to use AI in employment decisions in the future