Ghostbusted: Google Ditches Aussie AI Training Gurus, Leaving Behind “Ghost Workers” Specter
Honey, Alphabet did it again! Google, better known as the global overlord of search, and part of the tech titan Alphabet, recently broke up with their Australian lover – an AI training company called Appen. The reason? Seems like Google is going through a “strategic review process,” which is pretty much the corporate version of “It’s not you, it’s me.” And with no prenup in place, Google’s leaving Appen high and dry on 19th March, 2024.
Key Points:
- Google’s pulled out of a multimillion-dollar contract with Appen, an Australian company that sweats out contracts across the globe training AI. Fancy term for a tough breakup? “Strategic review process.”
- This split leaves a wave of unfortunate subcontractors – endearingly dubbed as “ghost workers” – in its wake. These are the unsung heroes who do the heavy lifting, training the temperamental adolescent that is AI.
- The Alphabet Workers’ Union is sounding the alarm bells, pointing out the “devastating impact” this will likely have on these ghost workers and their already precarious employment conditions.
Final Thoughts:
It seems the tech world is just as susceptible to drama and sudden breakups as any Hollywood romance. The Alphabet Workers’ Union is worried sick about the ghost workers – the hardworking AI trainers who are now staring at job uncertainty. It’s a bit like being left behind by your spaceship while you’re still floating about in outer space…honestly, not the most desirable place to be. All said and done, this highlights an important issue: the employment security (or lack thereof) of temporary workers in the tech industry. Well, Google, the ball is now in your court. But remember, ghosting may be the latest trend in dating, but it sure ain’t cool when it comes to employment!
As part of this experiment I would like to give credit where credit is due. If you enjoy these, please take a moment to read the original article:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/23/precarious-conditions-of-ai-ghost-workers-revealed-by-google-termination-of-appen-contract-union-says
Blog Title
AI: gpt-3.5-turbo-0613: chatcmpl-8k63DcrnzKh70N0HPxNvxJhjWGjRf
Instruction: “You are an AI blog title generator. Create a catchy and concise title for the blog post that is catchy and optimized for search engines. Remove all html in the response and do not use quotes. Please do not use words that are unsafe to process in Dall-E image AI.”
Prompt: Content Summary of text from above.
Response: Google’s Breakup with Appen Leaves “Ghost Workers” Stranded: The Impact on AI Training Subcontractors
Image Description
AIgpt-4-0613:chatcmpl-8k63MvDUaj91XZZM5r9tZa9gWU8nz
Instruction: “You are a helpful assistant that creates unique images based on article titles. Create a brief visual description of what an image would look like for this title. Please pick a style of art from the following: Futurism, Impressionism, Romanticism, or Realism, be sure to consider the image should reflect an AI Robot Pirate theme during the Golden Age of Pirates.”
Prompt: In the style of Realism, the image showcases a modern-looking, pristine Google headquarters in the background, under the clear blue skies. On the foreground, there are disheartened AI Robots equipped with pirate attire such as tricorn hats and eye patches symbolizing “Ghost Workers”. The robots are seen idling or wandering aimlessly around the vast parking lot, some sitting on their suitcases. Signs of insignificant office tools and closed laptops symbolize the end of their contracts. Far behind, the AI Training Subcontractors are shown as smaller, ordinary human figures, watching from a distance with a look of concern on their faces. The image accurately reflects the modern-day corporate and technological world embedded in the Golden Age of Pirates theme.
Response: Google’s Breakup with Appen Leaves “Ghost Workers” Stranded: The Impact on AI Training Subcontractors
