Meta lets staff pause AI monitoring while Microsoft plots to make its AI assistant addictive

Meta announced that employees can pause the company's mouse‑click and keystroke tracking for up to 30 minutes under its Model Capability Initiative, which is used to train large AI models. The pause option is meant for personal matters, and a limited number of staff may opt out of tracking altogether, a concession after protests following a round of layoffs and reassignments.

A leaked internal Microsoft document details a strategy to increase reliance on its new AI assistant, Scout (also referred to as ClawPilot), describing a first phase of “making users addicted.” The plan calls for expanding the tool among Microsoft 365 users, noting that over 1,000 employees, including CEO Satya Nadella, already rely on it. Employees expressed mixed reactions, with some warning of potential mental‑health risks.

Both companies are navigating how to deploy AI internally while managing employee privacy and user engagement concerns.