Google terminates 200 AI contractors — 'ramp-down' blamed, but workers claim questions over pay and job insecurity are the real reason behind layoffs

Google has laid off over 200 contractors working on AI projects, with some attributing it to a "ramp-down" while others cite pay and job insecurity concerns. The contractors, mostly from GlobalLogic, were involved in moderating AI responses and were required to have advanced degrees. Workers believe their complaints over compensation led to the layoffs, with some attempting to unionize earlier in the year. This move reflects a trend in the tech industry where AI companies are accused of underpaying workers for data annotation and response rating tasks.