Morale plummets at Meta: even executives admit that something is not working

The internal atmosphere at Meta is at an all-time low. Acknowledging this was Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, the company's CTO, who during an internal meeting with employees described the morale level as one of the worst recorded in his twenty years with the group.

According to reports from Business Insider, during the internal session "Tuesdays with Boz" on June 2, Bosworth stated: "Perhaps it's not the worst I've ever seen in 20 years here, but it’s probably close. It’s definitely among the worst."

The executive recalled that the episode that most significantly impacted company morale was the Cambridge Analytica scandal, related to the use of data from millions of Facebook users for political profiling during the 2016 U.S. elections. In this regard, Bosworth said: "I believe Cambridge Analytica was probably the worst moment."

Subsequently, the CTO further emphasized the concept by adding that current morale is "probably one of the worst ever." What is the source of the strong discontent within Meta? The company is undergoing a phase of deep organizational transformation. In May, Meta announced the layoff of around 10% of its workforce, a decision motivated by the need to compensate for the hefty investments directed towards initiatives related to artificial intelligence.

Simultaneously, another 10% of employees are said to have been reassigned to activities dedicated to training the company's AI models. According to earlier reports, some workers described this internal transfer as a sort of "conscription," perceiving the new tasks primarily as data labeling activities.

Internal tensions reportedly increased further in April when Meta faced protests from some staff regarding an initiative aimed at monitoring mouse movements and keystrokes used by employees. The stated goal of the project was to collect data useful for improving the company's AI systems.

Aware of the widespread discontent, management has begun to introduce some corrective measures. In a communication sent to employees in recent days, Bosworth emphasized the need for Meta to return to being "the best place for the best people to do their best work," adding that he wants to "reignite the best aspects of the company culture that attracted many people to Meta."

In the document, the executive also wrote: "We must provide our people with the support they need to do things the right way in the long term, including the opportunity to take smart risks when necessary and be recognized for it."

Among the announced interventions are a greater commitment to transparency from management, initiatives dedicated to the professional growth of employees, and the possibility for staff transferred to AI teams to reapply for other open positions within the organization. The company has also decided to increase budgets for travel, corporate events, and smaller benefits such as snacks and internal activities.

Bosworth's statements highlight how the rapid acceleration of investments in artificial intelligence is producing effects not only on a financial and strategic level but also on corporate culture and human resource management. A challenge that Meta will have to face as it continues to compete with major players in the AI sector.