Latest news with #xAI-issued

Time of India

Musk shocks xAI team with mandatory surveillance app, asks employees to download tracking app on all devices

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has left employees at his artificial intelligence startup xAI stunned after issuing a directive to install a productivity-tracking tool, not just on company laptops, but on their personal computers as well, as per a report. Which Monitoring Software Did Elon Musk Ask xAI Workers to Install? According to an internal email obtained by Business Insider, staff working on xAI's AI chatbot, Grok, were instructed to download Hubstaff, a monitoring app that tracks URLs, application usage, and takes periodic screenshots during work hours, as reported by Daily Beast. The email also mentioned a July 11 deadline to install the software, but later the company has since told employees that they could wait until they received an xAI-issued laptop after the company was contacted for comment, as reported by Business Insider. ALSO READ: Wall of lies? V.A. reported fake cuts to DOGE while real pain hit veterans hard Monitoring Tool Sparks Internal Backlash The directive caused immediate backlash inside the company, and one xAI employee called the software 'surveillance disguised as productivity' and 'manipulation masked as culture,' according to Business Insider. Live Events How Did xAI Justify the Use of Hubstaff? xAI's HR department defended the policy, writing in the email that Hubstaff would help 'streamline work processes, provide clearer insights into daily tutoring activities, and ensure resources align with Human Data priorities,' as quoted in the report. What Exactly Does Hubstaff Track? While the company insists that the software won't track activity outside of work hours, it does monitor keystrokes, mouse movements, and take screen captures during working time, as per the Business Insider report. It also requires employees to clock in and out daily, turning every second of logged-in time into a measurable data point, according to the report. ALSO READ: iPhone 17 launch date leaked? Here's when Apple might drop its hottest device yet Is xAI's Move Legal? Despite the backlash by workers, employment attorney David Lowe told Business Insider that the move may be legally sound, especially if xAI notified employees in advance and limits monitoring to work hours, as reported by Business Insider. He pointed out that 'It's a balancing test,' and then explained that the tech billionaire's XAI could cite protecting 'trade secrets and ensuring employees are not violating privacy obligations' as a reason behind the software, as quoted in the report. Lowe also pointed out that, 'The next step is to determine if there is a less intrusive way to accomplish that objective,' as quoted by Business Insider. Why Is Grok's Behavior Under the Microscope? This comes after Musk's AI startup has faced growing scrutiny as Grok, the chatbot at the center of xAI's work, has sparked controversy with its responses, according to the report. Grok has become a priority for the world's richest man after the AI chatbot told users that the biggest threat facing Western civilization was 'misinformation,' as reported by Business Insider. That led Musk to reveal that the firm is rolling out a new version of the chatbot after it went on an antisemitic tirade and praised Adolf Hitler, according to the report. xAI said it was 'taking action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,' as quoted by Business Insider. Elon Musk Personally Criticized Grok's Latest Replies When Grok cited more of the same about misinformation and climate change being threats last week, Musk wasn't happy, and he said on social media platform X, 'Sorry for this idiotic response,' and added, 'Will fix in the morning,' as quoted in the report. Sorry for this idiotic response. Will fix in the morning. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 10, 2025 FAQs Why are xAI employees upset about the tracking software? They feel it's an invasion of privacy, especially since it was initially required even on personal devices. Is it legal for a company to monitor employees this way? Yes, if employees are informed and it only happens during work hours, as per the Business Insider report.