Google Lays Off Over 200 Gemini and AI Contract Employees

Google has laid off more than 200 contractors working on artificial intelligence projects, including Gemini and AI Overviews. As per the news reports, the cuts happened in at least 2 rounds last month, with little advance notice to the workers.

Some contractors said they were informed by email that their contracts had ended. One worker, employed since March 2024, said he was told the project was being “ramped down” without further explanation.

Role of Super Raters

The affected group included “super raters,” specialists who reviewed and edited AI-generated answers to make them more accurate and natural. Their work supported features such as AI Overviews in Google Search. Many held advanced degrees in fields like education and writing.

Workers pointed to pay disparities between different categories of raters. As per the news reports, directly hired raters earned $28-32 per hour, while subcontracted raters doing the same tasks received $18-22. This gap became a major point of dispute.

Union Efforts and Complaints

By December 2024, around 18 raters had joined a union effort, which grew to about 60 members by February 2025. Workers allege that some layoffs were connected to organising activity. Complaints have been filed with the US National Labour Relations Board, citing retaliation and dismissal after raising concerns about pay and policies.

Restrictions and Policy Changes

Workers also said internal chat spaces used for communication were shut down. Some reported being dismissed shortly after questioning these changes. One organiser claimed his termination followed a five-minute call, citing policy violations.

As per the Documents seen by WIRED indicated that systems are being developed to automate rating tasks. Contractors said they feared they were training tools that might eventually replace them.

Google’s Position

As per the news reports, Google stated that the workers were employees of GlobalLogic or its subcontractors, not Alphabet itself. The company added that suppliers are expected to follow its code of conduct.

Read more: Oracle and Salesforce Cut Jobs Amid Deeper Tech Layoffs!

Conclusion

The layoffs highlight the uncertainty faced by contract workers in AI projects, where disputes over pay, conditions, and automation remain to be resolved.

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