{
  "id": 9650953,
  "title": "People Training OpenAI's AI Fired For Using AI To Train the AI",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/people-training-openais-ai-fired-for-using-ai-to-train-the-ai",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-24T23:34:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Slashdot",
    "slug": "slashdot",
    "url": "https://slashdot.org/story/26/09/24/0618245/people-training-openais-ai-fired-for-using-ai-to-train-the-ai"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Multiple contractors employed by OpenAI to enhance the company's AI models have been terminated for utilizing AI to train said AI systems, according to <source 1feadbec-49b>. This development presents a paradox, as it highlights the irony of AI training companies employing AI while simultaneously firing personnel for doing the same, particularly when OpenAI's primary objective is to encourage widespread AI usage.\n\nOpenAI has not commented on the firings, and the information comes from internal documents and accounts of three contractors involved in OpenAI-related projects. These contractors, numbering over ten thousand, have reported instances where individuals have been dismissed for using AI, with one source emphasizing that termination is swift when such actions are detected among the workforce.\n\nSeveral contractors have provided evidence of their dismissal, including a termination letter that cited issues with the authenticity of their work. One contractor used AI during the training process and expressed remorse about their involvement, stating they sometimes intentionally selected the worst AI-generated responses to sabotage the models' training. They acknowledged feeling guilty about their role, as they perceived their work as contributing to making AI systems less effective.\n\nTwo of the contractors were employed by Mercor, a company that recently attracted significant attention when Nvidia reportedly discussed a potential $20 billion valuation for the firm. The story was shared by Slashdot reader joshuark and can be accessed via the provided link.",
  "summary": "404 Media reports \"multiple contractors hired to improve OpenAI's models have been fired for using AI to train the AI: That's not great for the models themselves, but there is also obviously a great irony in AI training companies working for OpenAI firing people for using AI when OpenAI's whole thing is to make people use AI at work... OpenAI declined to comment on its contractors being fired for…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "404 Media",
        "title": "People Training OpenAI’s AI Fired for Using AI to Train the AI",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/people-training-openais-ai-fired-for-using-ai-to-train-the-ai",
        "published": "2026-09-22T12:59:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}