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Food delivery riders call on platforms to open up AI ‘black box’ they say has cut pay
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- DeepHorus
Food delivery riders across the UK are demanding greater transparency from major gig economy platforms, claiming that opaque artificial intelligence algorithms have led to significant pay cuts. Workers gathered in Edinburgh to highlight how Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat have increased their use of automation, resulting in deteriorating wages and working conditions. A veteran rider, identified only as David, stated he now earns half of what he made four years ago for the same number of hours.
The riders have organized through the Workers' Observatory, a charity supported by academics from St Andrews and Edinburgh universities. The group aims to help workers research and challenge the concealed parts of their working experience. Lead organizer Xabier Villares, an eight-year rider, described a "dramatic change" in the last three years, saying he can no longer make a decent living working evenings and lunchtimes.
The Observatory has secured research funding for the next decade to investigate platform practices. Previous experiments monitored how "dynamic pricing" algorithms offered variable pay to different workers in real-time. One test in Dunfermline saw riders coordinating to reject low-paying offers, which temporarily boosted rates for some but led to one rider being deactivated from the platform.
The issue extends beyond food delivery. Uber drivers in multiple countries have launched a landmark class action lawsuit in Amsterdam, potentially worth billions, against the ride-hailing app. Drivers claim the company's AI system uses their personal data to set pay based on individual willingness to accept lower fares. Uber has denied these allegations, attributing discrepancies to technical factors like GPS.
Academic research supports the riders' concerns. A study by the University of Oxford and Columbia Business School found that a 2023 dynamic pricing algorithm in Uber resulted in drivers earning "substantially less" per hour. Trades unions are now campaigning to ban dynamic pricing, arguing it creates uncertainty and financial instability for workers.
Cailean Gallagher, director of the Observatory, stated there is a vast "infrastructure of knowledge and data" concealed by the platforms, leaving riders "working in the dark." The Observatory's goal is to understand how the entire algorithmic apparatus works from the ground up. As AI's role in the gig economy grows, these coordinated worker actions and legal challenges may force platforms to open their "black box" systems.
The outcome of the Amsterdam lawsuit and ongoing research could set important precedents for algorithmic transparency and worker rights. With growing scrutiny from academics, unions, and the courts, pressure is mounting on delivery platforms to explain how their AI determines jobs and pay. The fight in Edinburgh represents a broader movement demanding fairness and visibility in the digital workplace.
