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Contractors

All articles tagged with #contractors

technology17 days ago•4 min saved

Paradox of Progress: OpenAI Contractors Fired for Using AI to Train AI

A 404 Media investigation reports that OpenAI’s contractor-based process for reviewing and training ChatGPT data has led to several contractors being fired for using AI themselves. Internal guidelines reportedly prohibit workers from using AI tools during evaluation, yet some sources say people were terminated for AI use, highlighting the irony of AI being used to train the AI while its human evaluators face penalties. OpenAI did not comment on the firings.

via 404 Media|

#ai-ethics #ai-training #contractors

technology1 month ago•8 min saved

CUI Marking Chaos Elevates CMMC Costs and Confusion for DoD Contractors

The DoD's inconsistent and unclear process for marking controlled unclassified information (CUI) keeps driving higher costs and confusion in the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program, with industry groups warning overmarking, blanket flow-downs to subcontractors, and unclear CUI scope. They urge clearer, standardized CUI definitions, better guidance and training, and more selective CMMC application—especially for small businesses—alongside reforms to consolidate CUI categories and clarify contract-level expectations.

via Federal News Network|

#cmmc #contractors #cui

politics1 month ago•1 min saved

Mamdani Backs New Rules for Last-Mile Delivery Contractors

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorses the Delivery Protection Act, which would license and require delivery workers to be regular employees rather than contractors for last-mile operations. The move aims to standardize rules across firms like Amazon, who oppose the measure, warning of higher costs and slower deliveries and potential relocation of distribution centers. Supporters, including labor groups such as the Teamsters, say it would improve pay, benefits, and accountability for delivery workers.

via Engadget|

#contractors #delivery #delivery-protection-act

business2 months ago•1 min saved

Halo Studios Faces Contractor Shifts After Campaign Evolved, No Internal Layoffs Confirmed

After Halo Campaign Evolved shipped, some contractors reportedly lost work, but Xbox says there were no layoffs among Halo Studios’ internal staff; contractor staffing shifts after a launch are common as Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) continues the Halo: Combat Evolved remake on Unreal Engine 5.

via GamesBeat|

#business #contractors #halo

business2 months ago•3 min saved

NJ accuses Amazon of monopsony over its delivery contractor network

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport filed an antitrust lawsuit alleging Amazon wields monopsony power over its delivery service partners, suppressing driver wages and worsening conditions by controlling terms and restricting competition among contractors. The complaint says DSPs are economically dependent on Amazon and that the company limits labor mobility, while Amazon argues DSPs are independent business owners and disputes the claims. The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of Amazon’s last‑mile model, which regulators and lawmakers are also weighing in major cities like New York.

via CNBC|

#amazon #antitrust #business

business3 months ago•2 min saved

Maine’s lesser-known defense contractors pull in big DoD dollars in 2024

The Department of Defense spent about $3.6 billion in Maine on defense contractors during the 2024 budget year, highlighted by major players like Bath Iron Works (General Dynamics) and Pratt & Whitney and a range of smaller firms that collectively power the state’s defense-focused manufacturing sector.

via Portland Press Herald - Maine Sunday Telegram|

#business #contractors #defense

politics4 months ago•2 min saved

Bedminster Club Manager Aided Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Renovation

David Schutzenhofer, the Bedminster golf club’s general manager, offered guidance on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool repairs and helped recruit a contractor, while remaining a private citizen. The Interior Department said his involvement did not make him a government employee, though taking a post would have required ethics training and conflict-of-interest pledges.

via The New York Times|

#bedminster #contractors #ethics

space5 months ago•4 min saved

NASA's Contractor-to-Civil Servant Shuffle Sparks KSC Debate

NASA Watch reports concerns at Kennedy Space Center about converting longtime contractors to civil-service roles, including waiving education requirements to retain expertise, which has led to layoffs of older engineers and promotion of degree-holders; NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman tweeted that the education rule is dated and capable contractors should become civil servants, though the post notes NASA PAO did not comment and that the full picture remains unclear.

via NASA Watch|

#civil-servant #contractors #kennedy-space-center

business5 months ago•4 min saved

ustwo Games bets on contractors to trim costs as it shifts to PC

ustwo Games will base growth on a core team with expanded contractor work and co-development to slash development budgets as it pivots to a PC-first strategy, after previously spending £7–£10 million per project with longer production cycles; the studio also contemplates higher launch prices with later discounts to support sustainability.

via GamesIndustry.biz|

#business #contractors #development-costs

business5 months ago•14 min saved

Ustwo Games pivots to contractors, eyes Steam after Monument Valley setback

Ustwo Games will push Monument Valley 3 onto Steam and rely on contractors for future growth, saying long-term employee job security was overly romantic and that outsourcing is the more sustainable path for the studio.

via Kotaku|

#business #contractors #job-security

business5 months ago•4 min saved

Gamedev CEO Declares Workforce Stability A Luxury The Industry Can’t Afford

UsTwo Games CEO Maria Sayans says the industry has romanticized long-term job security and that future growth will come from contractors rather than permanent staff, citing London costs and pensions, signaling a shift away from stable employment in the game-making sector.

via Aftermath|

#business #contractors #labor

gaming6 months ago•6 min saved

Gunzilla Boss Fires Back at Pay Claims With Web3 Defense on Twitter

Gunzilla CEO Vlad Korolev posted a lengthy Twitter thread disputing reports that the studio hadn’t paid workers, arguing some payments are scheduled to fit company cash flow and that full-time salaries have never been delayed by more than a week. He touts a paid live dashboard to verify metrics and defends ongoing Web3 elements as the game Off The Grid expands to PlayStation and Xbox, while noting contractor payments have occurred and the company continues shipping updates. The post comes amid scrutiny of payroll handling in the studio and its Web3 strategy.

via Aftermath|

#contractors #gaming #gunzilla

government6 months ago•5 min saved

OPM chief backs growing federal ranks by cutting contractors

OPM Director Scott Kupor told lawmakers he would be “perfectly happy” to hire more federal employees if agencies cut the use of contractors, arguing the current contractor workforce acts as a costly “shadow” and that shifting dollars to federal headcount could save taxpayers and improve services. Agencies are being asked to publish annual staffing plans balancing contractor and federal staff needs, while continuing to fill key talent gaps and expand early-career recruitment via initiatives like Tech Force; Kupor also signaled support for a stronger performance-management system to speed up removals of underperformers.

via Federal News Network|

#contractors #early-career #federal-workforce

policy8 months ago•15 min saved

NASA's Workforce Reset Aims to Bring Core Skills Back In-House

Keith Cowing analyzes Jared Isaacman’s directive to restore NASA’s core competencies by shifting critical work from contractors back to civil service, tightening procurement, and building in-house expertise, with rapid actions like workforce assessments, transition plans, onboarding, and the creation of center makerspaces; he cautions that 2025’s staff losses, a fragile strategic plan, and budget pressures complicate the effort, but emphasizes the need for broader audience engagement and internal culture changes to realize Artemis-era ambitions.

via NASA Watch|

#civil-service #contractors #directive

science8 months ago•4 min saved

NASA to Rebuild In-House Expertise, Shrinking Its Contractor Footprint

NASA plans a shift to bring core engineering and operations in-house after losing about 20% of civil servants, with roughly 75% of its workforce currently contractors; a new directive orders a 30-day assessment to identify roles to convert to civil service and 60-day rapid onboarding, while expanding the Tech Force program, training, and internships, and requiring future contracts to include right-to-repair provisions and makerspaces—aiming to reduce contractor reliance and potentially save about $1.4 billion annually, according to Isaacman (though he did not detail the calculation).

via SpaceNews|

#civilservants #contractors #inhouse