WEB DESK: Google has laid off around 200 contract workers who were involved in testing and improving its AI products, Wired reported on Tuesday.
The cuts took place in two rounds last month.
The dismissed workers alleged they were targeted while protesting poor working conditions and low pay. They also claimed they had been made to train AI systems that would eventually replace them.
Most of the employees were from Hitachi-owned Global Logic and had been tasked with training Google’s Gemini chatbot, refining its responses to sound sharper and more natural.
They also worked on the company’s web browser feature, “AI overviews,” which summarises search queries directly under the search bar.
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According to Wired, internal documents showed Google was using human evaluators to teach its AI to classify the quality of its responses, eventually eliminating the need for human oversight.
Workers who remained with the company confirmed these fears, saying they worried about “training their replacements.”
The jobs required advanced qualifications, often demanding master’s or PhD degrees, with many employees coming from teaching, writing, or other creative fields.
Employees also complained of abrupt termination notices, pay disparities compared to other contractors, and added responsibilities without corresponding raises. They were given strict “task timers,” sometimes only five minutes per task, and warned that failure to meet deadlines could result in job loss.
Attempts to unionise were also reportedly blocked. Workers said their online community spaces, used for both organising and social interaction,were restricted. One employee said they were fired after using these forums and filing a whistleblower complaint with Hitachi.
The report added that Google used indirect tactics to pressure staff into resigning. In Austin, Texas, workers were ordered to return to office despite many having disabilities, caregiving duties, or financial limitations that made it difficult.