Gig workers are using AI to fight deactivations on apps like Uber and Instacart
Companies like Uber and Instacart often deactivate gig workers' accounts with little notice. Some workers are turning to AI to fight back.
Some gig workers are using AI to fight deactivations on ride-hailing and delivery platforms like Uber and Instacart. These companies often deactivate workers' accounts with little notice, leaving them to navigate a complex arbitration process to regain access or seek a settlement. Workers are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to help them craft evidence summaries and arguments in their appeals.
One deactivated Instacart worker told Business Insider that he uses ChatGPT to challenge the company's claim that he did not follow the correct route for an order. The chatbot helped him write evidence reports, estimate lost wages, and determine the best time to submit his latest response to Instacart. While AI can provide authoritative-sounding documents, it also carries risks, as errors and credibility issues may arise.
Prof. Robert Bruno from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign noted that AI is beneficial for gig workers who lack the financial means to hire a good labor attorney. However, AI-generated arguments still need to be tailored to the specific arbitrator and be persuasive to be reinstated. Uber and Instacart have declined to comment on workers using AI to fight deactivations, but they have stated that their decisions are reviewed by humans.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
