Companies are firing workers after they build AI to automate their jobs
Some companies are asking employees to set up AI systems to handle their work, then firing them once the task is automated. This means workers are accidentally building the tools that get them laid off.
People in online communities are sharing stories about how businesses use their current staff to bring in AI tools. Once the AI is working well and can do the job on its own, the company lets the employees go to save money. This is happening a lot in jobs that involve repetitive tasks, like organizing data or writing simple code. It shows that while AI can be very helpful, companies may prioritize saving on costs over keeping people employed. For independent creators, this is a reminder of why it is better to build for yourself than for a company that might replace you.
Key points
- Workers are being used to build the AI systems that take over their roles.
- Companies often wait for the AI to be "running smooth" before firing people.
- The main goal for these companies is to reduce spending on employees.
- It highlights a risk where AI is used to remove jobs instead of helping people do them.
Quick term guide
- FIR
- A First Information Report — the official complaint filed with police in India that kicks off a criminal investigation.
- automated
- When a task is done by a machine or computer instead of a person.
- build
- A chosen set of in-game abilities or items a player equips for their character.
- laid off
- When a person loses their job because the company no longer needs them or wants to cut costs.
- business
- An activity where you provide value to others in exchange for money.
- AI tools
- Software that can help create text, code, images, or other work.
- ping
- The time (in milliseconds) it takes for a signal to travel from your device to another and back — lower means faster response.
- EIN
- A tax ID number that the U.S. tax agency gives to a business.