Meta is facing legal scrutiny after a group of employees accused the company of using artificial intelligence to target and lay off individuals with disabilities and those on protected medical or family leaves. The lawsuit, filed by 26 unnamed plaintiffs in US District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that internal AI tools were used to select employees for termination.

“Meta did not assemble the termination list through the considered judgment of managers who knew the work,” said the complaint, “instead using a constellation of internal artificial intelligence systems to score, rank and select employees.” The plaintiffs argue these tools do not account for disabilities or leaves, potentially leading to discriminatory practices.

In response, Meta maintains people made the decisions. A statement by the company stated: “These claims lack merit and are not based on facts. Workforce management and organizational decisions were and are made by people, not AI.” However, the lawsuit is seen as a pioneering case against significant tech companies regarding AI in layoffs.

The tools reportedly classified employees into categories such as ‘AI Native,’ ‘AI First’ and ‘AI Enabled.’ This suggests that employee performance metrics linked to AI adoption could have played a role in their assessment for retention. The legal challenge highlights the growing complexity of balancing human rights with automation in corporate practices.

For now, the legal battle continues, raising questions about accountability and fairness in an increasingly automated workforce landscape. As we navigate through tech advancements, it’s crucial to ensure that AI tools serve humanity, not overshadow it.