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Contractors Training OpenAI's AI Fired for Using AI, Report Says

Multiple contractors hired to improve OpenAI's models have been fired or offboarded for using AI on the job, according to 404 Media. One contractor described deliberately sabotaging training, and two worked for Mercor, which Nvidia reportedly discussed funding at a $20 billion valuation. OpenAI declined to comment.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-25 09:42

404 Media cited internal documents and three contractors working on OpenAI-related projects, which the article said can involve more than ten thousand contractors. One contractor told the outlet that people use AI "all the time and people are let go for it all the time, it's pretty much the one thing that will get you kicked off ASAP." That person said that "in a group of thousands there are tons that have been caught."

Two sources said people had been fired or offboarded for using AI, according to the report. One contractor said they used AI while helping to train OpenAI's models and shared what they presented as their termination letter. The letter said their employer had identified issues with the "authenticity" of their work.

The report noted the irony that contractors working for OpenAI, a company whose broader aim is to encourage people to use AI at work, were fired for using AI on the job.

404 Media also spoke with a fourth contractor who has worked on training models for various AI companies. That person said they sometimes purposely chose the worst responses because they wanted to actively sabotage the models' training. "I did feel guilty about doing this kind of work at the start," the contractor said. "I either pay zero attention to the results and choose randomly or purposely choose the [worst] output. I'm not sure how much of a difference it actually makes since there are hundreds of other people also rating prompt results, but it does feel like I'm getting paid to make AI worse."

Two of the contractors worked for Mercor, according to the article. Last month, Nvidia reportedly discussed funding Mercor at a $20 billion valuation.