Yong Social Finance

Meta has a reputation for moving fast and breaking things. But nobody expected the company to start breaking its own engineers this quickly. Just a few months after launching a new artificial intelligence unit, internal reports describe working conditions inside the team as a “soul crushing gulag.” That is not a metaphor from a disgruntled ex employee. Those words are coming from engineers still trapped inside the unit right now. The unit was supposed to be Meta’s crown jewel. A dedicated team focused on pushing the next wave of generative AI products. Instead, it has become a cautionary tale about what happens when speed and pressure completely replace basic human respect. What Went Wrong Inside Meta’s AI Unit The problems started almost immediately after the unit formed. Leadership wanted results faster than any reasonable timeline would allow. Engineers found themselves working around the clock with no clear direction. Projects changed weekly. Goals shifted daily. One engineer...