Google Cuts Hundreds of AI ‘Super Raters’ Amid Labor Dispute

Google’s reliance on human workers to train its algorithms just hit a breaking point. On Monday, hundreds of contract workers responsible for training the Gemini AI model were fired without warning. The cuts come during a heated fight over pay and working conditions at the search giant’s vendor partners.

According to Wired, the layoffs hit more than 200 workers employed through the vendor GlobalLogic. These workers—many of whom hold master’s degrees or PhDs—were training the very systems that might replace them.

Key Facts

• Industry: Search Engine
• Source: Wired
• Secondary Detail: Tom’s Hardware
• Impact: 200+ highly skilled contractors fired immediately.
• Pay Gap: Workers cited pay as low as $18/hour for complex data work.

The ‘Ramp Down’ Email

The firing process was cold and fast. Workers lost access to their systems overnight. Andrew Lauzon, a worker interviewed by Tom’s Hardware and Wired, said he received a simple email stating the project was seeing a “ramp-down.”

There was no warning. One minute they were fixing Google’s most important product. The next, they were locked out. This sudden move has left many asking if the “ramp-down” is real, or if it is an excuse to clear out a complaining workforce.

Training Their Own Replacements

These were not average temp workers. Known as “super raters,” they checked the quality of AI answers for complex topics. They fixed errors in Gemini’s code and logic.

The irony is sharp. By doing their jobs well, these workers helped the AI get smart enough to do the work without them. Now, Google seems ready to move on, leaving the humans behind.

Union Busting Fears

The timing is suspicious. The cuts happened right as workers started organizing for better treatment. Reports show that workers in Austin, Texas, were pushed to return to the office, causing huge stress for those with low pay.

GlobalLogic, the vendor managing these teams, pays some contractors as little as $18 to $22 an hour. Workers argue this is poverty wages for PhD-level work. They believe Google is cleaning house to stop a union from forming.