Meta Platforms Inc. (META) is about to make artificial intelligence skills a mandatory part of your job description—at least if you work there. The company is preparing to evaluate employees based on their ability to drive results using AI, turning what was once a nice-to-have technical skill into a core performance metric.

AI Impact Becomes Core Expectation

According to an internal memo reported by Business Insider, Janelle Gale, Meta's head of people, told staff on Thursday that "AI-driven impact" will become a "core expectation" starting in 2026. Translation: if you're not using AI to make yourself more productive by then, it's going to show up in your performance review.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led company plans to assess how effectively workers leverage AI to boost productivity, build internal tools, and deliver measurable improvements. Think of it as grading employees not just on what they accomplish, but on whether they're smart enough to let machines help them accomplish more.

There's a grace period, though. Individual AI usage won't factor into formal reviews in 2025, but employees are being encouraged to highlight AI-enabled wins in their self-evaluations. Start documenting those ChatGPT assists now, in other words.

"It's well-known that this is a priority and we're focused on using AI to help employees with their day-to-day work," a Meta spokesperson told MarketDash in an emailed statement.

The AI Mandate Spreads Across Big Tech

Meta isn't alone in making AI literacy a job requirement. The policy reflects a broader shift across the tech industry as major firms race toward AI-native workforces.

Microsoft (MSFT) executives have reportedly told managers that using AI is "no longer optional"—a pretty clear message. Meanwhile, Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) (GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai has said employees must fully embrace AI for the company to stay competitive. Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is moving in a similar direction.

The subtext here is obvious: Big Tech believes the productivity gains from AI are so significant that employees who don't adopt these tools will become liabilities. It's not just about staying ahead of competitors anymore—it's about staying ahead of your coworkers.

Strong Earnings Fuel AI Ambitions

Meta's AI pivot comes from a position of financial strength. The company posted strong third-quarter earnings with adjusted earnings of $7.25 per share and revenue of $51.24 billion, up 26% year-over-year and ahead of Wall Street expectations.

When you're generating that kind of revenue growth, you have the resources to invest heavily in AI infrastructure and the confidence to tell your workforce that the future is AI-driven—whether they're ready or not.

The message from Meta and its Big Tech peers is clear: the era of hybrid human-AI work isn't coming. It's already here, and it's about to become the baseline expectation for staying employed.