Meta is set to track workers’ keystrokes and mouse clicks to train its artificial intelligence models. The company, which owns Instagram and Facebook, has announced a new tool that will log employee activity on Meta's computers and internal apps, with the aim of using this data to improve AI technology.

A spokesman stated: 'If we're building agents to help people complete everyday tasks using computers, our models need real examples of how people actually use them.' The data, he assured, would only be used for AI training and safeguarded from misuse. However, employees are not thrilled, with one saying the tracking feels 'very dystopian' amid expectations of significant job cuts.

Meta has already reduced its workforce by around 2,000 this year and is implementing a more extensive hiring freeze. In March, Meta’s job listings website hosted about 800 positions but now advertises just seven jobs. The company's co-founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has set his sights on ramping up AI spending, with plans to invest $140bn by 2026.

With the new tool, Meta hopes to train AI models that will revolutionize how we work, according to Zuckerberg. However, as this data collection continues, concerns are mounting about privacy and the potential for overreach in the name of technological advancement.