Thousands of workers in Kenya face unemployment after Meta announced it will terminate its contract with a local subcontractor responsible for training artificial intelligence systems. The decision follows growing criticism over privacy violations linked to the company's AI-powered smart glasses, which raised ethical questions about data collection and processing.
The affected employees, all working for the Kenyan firm, were informed of the contract termination on short notice. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the move but did not disclose the exact number of jobs lost. Local labor advocates estimate the layoffs could affect more than 1,000 people, most of whom were involved in labeling and annotating data for AI models.
Critics argue the abrupt termination highlights deeper issues in the tech industry's reliance on outsourcing sensitive tasks to regions with lower labor costs. The Kenyan subcontractor had been part of Meta’s supply chain for years, but the company cited unspecified operational changes as the reason for ending the partnership.
Kenyan labor unions have condemned the decision, calling it a disregard for workers’ livelihoods. One union representative stated that no consultation period was provided before the announcement, leaving employees with little time to seek alternative employment. The government has yet to respond publicly to the mass layoffs.
Meta’s AI glasses have faced global backlash since their release, with privacy advocates accusing the company of insufficient safeguards for user data. The termination of the Kenyan contract may signal a shift in how the tech giant handles its AI workforce, but the immediate impact on affected families remains severe.
Source: digi.no