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Gig Economy

All articles tagged with #gig economy

Waymo Robotaxis Grab a Bigger Slice of Rides, Quietly Reshaping Driver Labor
technology9 days ago

Waymo Robotaxis Grab a Bigger Slice of Rides, Quietly Reshaping Driver Labor

Waymo’s robotaxis accounted for about 15% of gross ride bookings in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and 16% in Phoenix in June, per Yipit, with shares remaining in the mid-teens as the service expands. The impact on human drivers is likely to show up first in utilization metrics (more idle time, longer waits, fewer trips per hour) rather than outright layoffs, since drivers are flexible independent workers. Measuring displacement is difficult due to data gaps and the gig-economy structure; industry voices suggest a gradual shift toward a hybrid future as AVs scale.

via Business Insider|
#gig-economy#labor-market#ride-hailing
California's Gig Drivers Poised to Form World's Largest Rideshare Union
us-news12 days ago

California's Gig Drivers Poised to Form World's Largest Rideshare Union

Hundreds of thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers in California are on the cusp of forming what organizers say will be the world’s largest rideshare union, after the state labor board certified support from at least 30% of active drivers under AB 1340. The California Gig Workers Union (CGWU) is expected to be certified as the exclusive bargaining representative after a 30‑day waiting period, with dues not charged until a collective bargaining agreement is ratified. Major bargaining points include pay, benefits, deactivation from the apps, and working conditions for drivers statewide.

via New York Post|
#ab1340#california#gig-economy
Shenzhen’s robotaxis push stirs worry among taxi drivers
technology1 month ago

Shenzhen’s robotaxis push stirs worry among taxi drivers

Shenzhen is expanding robotaxis to promote autonomous mobility, in a saturated taxi market with about 400,000 licensed drivers earning roughly 13 fares a day; July rules will enable robotaxi tests citywide as operators like Pony.ai and Baidu run pilots, raising concerns among drivers that automation could replace or erode livelihoods even as robotaxis may eventually supplement human drivers in China’s gig economy amid policy aims to address an ageing workforce and a manufacturing shift.

via Financial Times|
#chinese-employment#driverless-vehicles#gig-economy
Robot deliveries could replace 700,000 JD.com couriers, says founder
technology2 months ago

Robot deliveries could replace 700,000 JD.com couriers, says founder

JD.com founder Richard Liu warned that rapid automation could eventually replace about 700,000 delivery workers, as the company trains couriers for robot maintenance and runs pilot programs (e.g., airport delivery robots and robot restocking). The comments highlight policymakers’ worries about gig workers amid China’s push on robotics in its five-year plan, with youth unemployment rising and debates over social protections for platform workers.

via Financial Times|
#chinese-economy#employment#gig-economy
Free NYC Cleaning in Exchange for AI-Training Footage
artificial-intelligence2 months ago

Free NYC Cleaning in Exchange for AI-Training Footage

A German AI-training startup, MicroAGI, is partnering with Shift to offer New Yorkers free home cleaning in exchange for recording the cleaning process with cameras to train future household robots, promising anonymization of faces and IDs; cleaners may decline specific tasks, and the service covers chores from vacuuming to reorganizing spaces; the offer is limited-time with plans to expand to London, Munich, and Zurich, though questions remain about data usage and how (or if) videos can be removed after training.

via Gizmodo|
#artificial-intelligence#gig-economy#new-york-city
UK workers juggle multiple roles as cost of living climbs
business3 months ago

UK workers juggle multiple roles as cost of living climbs

More than 1 million people in the UK now have a second job as rising living costs, insecure work and industry changes push workers into a growing gig economy. The Office for National Statistics puts current second-job numbers at about 1.3 million (a dip from a 2025 peak of 1.35 million), while just under five million people participate in gig work overall. Personal stories from Bristol illustrate the strain—entrepreneurs, reception staff, bar workers and festival gig workers who juggle multiple roles, sometimes living in a van to cut costs—highlighting a broader shift toward flexible, multi‑job lives. AI-driven changes in design are also pushing freelancers to diversify, and for some, flexible work arrangements help manage childcare and expenses, underscoring how financial precarity is reshaping attitudes toward work.

via BBC|
#business#cost-of-living#gig-economy
No‑Code Dad Builds On‑Demand Nanny Network
technology3 months ago

No‑Code Dad Builds On‑Demand Nanny Network

Scott Klipper, a 39-year-old hedge-fund managing director and busy dad, vibe coded Trot My Tot—a NYC-area on-demand platform that connects families with short-term trotters (nannies or college students) for quick gigs like school pickups. Using no-code tools like Lovable, Cursor, and Replit, he built profiles, booking, and Stripe payments, plus vetting steps (SSN verification, photos, driver’s license, CPR); the service has about 600 users and 149 trots completed, with trotters’ charges capped at $25 and optional paid tiers. Klipper calls it a prototype, not a money-maker, and plans to expand to other caregiving tasks while tightening screening.

via Business Insider|
#background-checks#gig-economy#nanny-platform
Joi AI Offers $2,000/Month to Test Mood‑Guided Masturbation Feature
technology3 months ago

Joi AI Offers $2,000/Month to Test Mood‑Guided Masturbation Feature

Joi AI is recruiting 10 adults in the U.S. and U.K. to serve as "masturbation consultants" for four weeks, paying $2,000 per month to test its Daily Guided Masturbation feature that uses mood‑matched AI voice sessions; testers will document impacts on stress, sleep, mood, and confidence and submit feedback to the company as part of product testing and industry discussion on AI's role in sexual wellness.

via Decrypt|
#artificial-intelligence#digital-intimacy#gig-economy
Gig Pay Reality: Real 2025 Earnings From Uber to Walmart Spark
economy4 months ago

Gig Pay Reality: Real 2025 Earnings From Uber to Walmart Spark

Business Insider spoke with a dozen US gig workers about their 2025 earnings across Uber/Lyft, Amazon Flex, Taskrabbit, Walmart Spark, DoorDash, and Uber Eats. Earnings varied dramatically by location, app mix, season, and how much workers could deduct for gas and maintenance, with after-expenses income often far lower than gross pay. Notable cases include a 63-year-old Uber driver in Phoenix who grossed about $65,000 but took home roughly $40,000 after costs; a Michigan nurse turned Amazon Flex driver earning about $23,000; a Arizona Taskrabbit handyman stacking $37,000 from Taskrabbit plus $41,000 from a handyman business; a Tennessee Walmart Spark driver earning only about $2,000 over the holidays; a NYC Uber Eats driver at about $25,000; a Louisiana driver splitting Spark/DoorDash/Uber Eats around $40,000; and others who used gig work to bridge layoffs, supplement pensions, or fund personal projects. The overall message: gig earnings are highly variable and depend on the app, geography, seasonality, and personal strategy.

via Business Insider|
#delivery#earnings#economy
LinkedIn Dives Into AI Training Gig Market, Offering Up to $150/Hour
technology4 months ago

LinkedIn Dives Into AI Training Gig Market, Offering Up to $150/Hour

LinkedIn is testing an 'AI labor marketplace' that pays humans up to $150/hour to train AI systems across roles from coding to nursing, signaling a new gig category and placing LinkedIn in competition with startups like Mercor and Surge AI. The initiative highlights rapid growth in AI training work and a range of roles—from Excel/finance experts to nurses and linguists—while also underscoring cybersecurity risks in the sector, including notable data breaches at industry players.

via Business Insider|
#ai-marketplace#ai-training#cybersecurity
Gas-price surge tightens budgets for drivers who use their own vehicles for work
business4 months ago

Gas-price surge tightens budgets for drivers who use their own vehicles for work

Rising gas prices, driven by oil disruptions, are squeezing workers who drive for work—Uber/Lyft drivers, delivery staff, cleaners, and others—who largely pay for fuel themselves and often get only partial reimbursement. Some employers are raising mileage rates (e.g., Alpine Maids at 72.5 cents/mile; Doggy Lama at 80 cents) or adjusting schedules to reduce travel, while gig platforms are adding temporary fuel incentives. Many drivers report thinner margins as the national gas average nears $4 per gallon, with some declining tips or skipping orders to keep costs in check; diesel prices have climbed even more, affecting trucking and bus services globally. The situation is forcing workers and businesses to re-balance prices, hours, and reimbursements amid ongoing price volatility.

via Yahoo|
#business#diesel-prices#gas-prices