Covalen workers in Dublin face layoffs amid reduced demand for Meta AI model refinement
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Apr 28
Covalen workers in Dublin face layoffs amid reduced demand for Meta AI model refinement
10 articles · Updated · WIRED · Apr 28
Over 700 Covalen employees, including 500 data annotators, were told in a video call that their jobs are at risk.
The layoffs follow Meta’s broader efficiency drive and a previous Covalen staff cut in November, nearly halving the Dublin workforce. Affected workers face a six-month ban on applying to competing Meta vendors.
Unions are urging Covalen to negotiate severance and plan talks with the Irish government on AI’s impact. Workers express concern over job prospects as AI advances reshape the labor market.
Are 'AI-related layoffs' simply a new justification for companies to cut costs and boost profits?
Can Ireland's upskilling strategy keep pace with job displacement from corporate AI investment?
As workers train the AI that replaces them, who is responsible for their future careers?
With AI automating data work, what new 'human-in-the-loop' jobs will emerge from the old ones?
How can workers escape the gig economy cycle when layoffs come with six-month non-compete clauses?
Is Meta's multi-billion dollar bet on AI a brilliant move for efficiency or a risk to content safety?