Meta's companywide AI hackathon next month has sparked frustration among employees who say recent layoffs and understaffing leave them no time to participate.

What happened: CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a companywide AI hackathon scheduled for July 14 to July 16, framed as a way to build camaraderie. Internal messages seen by WIRED show employees pushing back, with many saying they lack time and energy to participate given added responsibilities after recent mass layoffs at the company.

Why it matters: This is the first companywide hackathon since 8,000 people were laid off last month. Employees report that they are being asked to cover more work with less support while managing the risk of technical errors, and some allege that hackathon participation will not count toward their performance evaluations—leaving them with little incentive to set aside current projects.

What to watch: The backlash reflects broader internal unrest. Zuckerberg also announced increased budgets for team offsites and plans to end hot desking in some offices—an issue workers had previously raised concerns about—suggesting he is attempting multiple moves to address employee morale alongside the hackathon initiative.