Meta's Chief Technology Officer, Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, acknowledged that employee morale has sunk to a historic low following a wave of layoffs and forced reassignments. During a June 2 internal meeting called "Tuesdays with Boz," Bosworth stated that morale is "probably one of the worst it's ever been" in the company's 20-year history, according to Business Insider.
The remarks come after Meta cut 10% of its workforce last month to offset heavy AI spending, while reassigning another 10% of staffers to mandatory AI teams to train its models. Bosworth compared the current mood to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, calling that period "probably the worst" and suggesting current morale is comparable.
Beyond the layoffs, employee dissatisfaction has been fueled by other recent controversies. In April, Meta faced backlash for using mouse-tracking software on employee computers to collect data for AI training. Staff pushed back with an online petition and physical flyers posted across U.S. offices, urging colleagues not to participate.
The company's AI pivot comes with a massive price tag: Meta plans to spend up to $14 billion on AI infrastructure this year alone, according to previous reports. Yet the human cost of that strategy is becoming increasingly visible, with Bosworth's admission signaling deep internal fractures.
Some critics argue that the morale problem may be temporary, as companies often see dips during restructuring. But with additional privacy concerns emerging and the forced AI assignments creating resentment, Meta faces a challenge in retaining the talent it still needs to execute its AI ambitions.