AustraliaThe StarAustralian companies face 'AI washing' claims after wave of job cuts, offshoring
Qantas is cutting 850 jobs and offshoring work, blaming AI, but unions say companies are using AI as cover for plain old cost-cutting.
SYDNEY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Australia's blue-chip companies are increasingly invoking artificial intelligence as they cut jobs and move work offshore, unions and experts say, complicating the government's efforts to support employment in a slowing economy.
Major Australian companies including Qantas, Telstra, WiseTech and Atlassian have cut jobs this year while citing artificial intelligence as the driver.
Qantas is cutting 850 jobs and outsourcing corporate functions offshore via a deal with consulting firm Accenture, which unions call AI washing.
Unions argue workers are being replaced by cheaper offshore labour, not AI, and are calling for transparency and proper consultation from employers.
If you work in corporate, tech or telco roles, unions say ask your employer for genuine consultation before any AI-related restructure affects your position.
Five minutes for you
More from Cuppa
Eight killed and at least 17 injured in New York building collapse, mayor Mamdani saysA residential building in Brooklyn, New York collapsed, killing eight people and injuring at least 17, with rescue efforts still under way and a criminal investigation opened.
Why ‘brainier’ sports may be better for people with ADHDResearch suggests that mentally demanding sports like martial arts may give people with ADHD a bigger brain boost than simple cardio like running, by targeting executive function.
Millions of dollars going missing as virus spreads, MSF warnsHundreds of millions of dollars meant to fight the deadly Ebola outbreak in DR Congo are going missing before reaching frontline workers and patients, MSF warns.
Astronomers stunned after James Webb Space Telescope discovers the earliest pair of black hole-powered quasarsThe James Webb Space Telescope has found the oldest pair of quasars ever seen, and scientists say they shouldn't exist yet at that point in the universe's history.
‘Rosetta Stone for Mars:’ Martian meteorite hints at ancient lifeA 4.1-billion-year-old Martian meteorite found in the Sahara contains manganese oxide, which on Earth is linked to microbial life, hinting Mars may once have been habitable.
Schools, libraries and parents face 'difficult decision' over David Walliams booksSchools and retailers are pulling David Walliams books from shelves after sexual misconduct allegations, with school leaders calling for national government guidance.
Colorectal cancer is rising again after 20 years, and scientists don't know whyColorectal cancer rates in the US have risen for the first time in over 20 years, and researchers say the increase is now affecting all age groups, not just younger adults.
European survey reveals 900m galaxies - and possibly secrets of ‘dark universe’The European Space Agency's Euclid mission has released its first major data drop, mapping over 900 million galaxies in the highest-resolution cosmic survey ever made.
What readers are saying