Meta's AI Draft Sparks Mutiny as Engineers Call the Unit a Soul-Crushing Gulag

Meta’s three-month-old Applied AI unit, now about 6,500 engineers and product managers, faces serious internal strain as workers describe being involuntarily drafted into the group to build AI training data, performing tasks like generating puzzles and coding problems. A livestream meltdown during an employee presentation highlighted the tensions, and more than 1,600 Meta staff reportedly signed a petition over monitoring clicks and keystrokes for AI training. CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged distress in an internal memo and emphasized Meta’s aim to retain top talent, but morale remains extremely low as leadership reshapes theAI effort.