Meta's Mandatory AI Labeling Assignments Spark Internal Backlash

Meta established its Applied AI (AAI) division in March 2026, bringing together about 6,500 engineers and product managers to support Meta Superintelligence Labs. Their work included generating tasks, labeling data and providing model feedback. Meta also invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI and recruited Alexandr Wang, underscoring how high-quality training data and labor have become critical bottlenecks in the race to build large models.

On May 18, 2026, Meta announced that about 7,000 employees would be transferred to AAI and other AI units, with roughly 6,500 assigned to AAI. The mandatory transfers and repetitive labeling work immediately triggered protests. Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth acknowledged on June 15 that the restructuring's management and communication had been "abysmal." On June 25, Meta withdrew the mandatory arrangement and allowed employees to decide whether to stay or apply for other positions.