NEW DELHI– Google has reportedly laid off over 200 contractors working on key artificial intelligence projects, including its Gemini chatbot and AI Overviews feature, raising fresh questions about job security and labor practices within the tech giant’s ecosystem.
According to a report by WIRED, the layoffs occurred in at least two rounds last month and came with little or no advance notice. Several contractors said they were abruptly locked out of their systems.
“I was just cut off,” said Andrew Lauzon, a contractor who received an email on August 15 stating that his contract had ended. Lauzon, who joined Hitachi-owned GlobalLogic in March 2024, had been working on training Google’s Gemini model and other AI tools. “I asked for a reason, and they said ramp-down on the project — whatever that means. How are we supposed to feel secure in this employment when we know we could go at any moment?”
Many of the affected workers held advanced degrees, including master’s and PhDs, and were part of a group known as “super raters.” Their job was to refine AI outputs, making responses more natural, accurate, and user-friendly. Contractors told WIRED their feedback was essential to shaping Google’s AI products.
“We as raters play an incredibly vital role,” said Alex, a generalist rater employed by GlobalLogic. “The engineers are not going to have the time to fine-tune and get the feedback they need for the bot. We’re like the lifeguards on the beach — we’re there to make sure nothing bad happens.”
Google, however, distanced itself from the layoffs, emphasizing that the workers were employed by GlobalLogic or its subcontractors. “These individuals are employees of GlobalLogic or their subcontractors, not Alphabet,” said Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini. “As the employers, GlobalLogic and their subcontractors are responsible for the employment and working conditions of their employees.”
The reported cuts come as Google ramps up investment in AI research and deployment to keep pace with rivals OpenAI and Microsoft. Critics warn the move highlights the precarious status of contract workers who play a critical role in training and monitoring AI systems, while raising concerns over low pay and alleged retaliation against unionization efforts. (Source: IANS)
