Meta is reportedly planning to track how its employees use computers to improve its AI systems. According to a report by Ars Technica citing Reuters, the company may monitor mouse movements, clicks and keyboard inputs of US-based employees to generate training data for future AI agents. The move is reportedly a part of an internal effort aimed at building smarter systems that can handle everyday computer tasks.
Tracking employee activity for AI training
According to the report, Meta has developed an internal system under its “Model Capability Initiative” to track how employees use selected work apps and websites. The tool monitors actions like mouse movements, clicks and keystrokes, and may also take periodic screenshots to understand how tasks are carried out.
Focus on improving AI agents
Privacy and regional concerns
The report noted that this tracking will initially apply to US employees with the new tracking software. The report noted that implementing similar monitoring in Europe could be difficult due to stricter data protection laws. Meta has previously faced regulatory challenges in the EU over how it collects and uses data for AI training.
The move comes at a time when several tech companies are working on AI agents that can operate computers and web browsers. Companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Perplexity AI have also introduced tools in this space.
While early versions of these tools reportedly show promise, they still face limitations in handling complex or long tasks. Meta’s approach suggests a push towards improving these systems using real user interaction data. The report also mentioned that Meta may be setting AI usage targets for some employees and is reportedly planning workforce changes in the coming months.
