Google Lays Off 200+ AI Contractors Amid Pay and Union Concerns

Google has laid off more than 200 contractors working on AI projects like Gemini and AI Overviews. These workers, called “super raters,” helped improve AI outputs and were critical to Google’s AI tools.

The layoffs happened with little warning, and many contractors said they were targeted after raising concerns about pay gaps and union efforts. Directly hired raters earned $28–$32/hour, while subcontractors doing the same work earned $18–$22/hour.

Google said the workers were employed by GlobalLogic or subcontractors, not Alphabet, and that these employers are responsible for employment conditions.

Contractors worry that their work may eventually be replaced by AI, and experts say such layoffs reflect broader tech industry trends for outsourced workers.