Appen says it fixed its payment 'fiasco' but some contractors insist they're still waiting
Appen promises to help Big Tech clients build ambitious AI tools. But weeks after a major tech bungle, many of its own contractors are unpaid and growing frustrated.
Offshore contractors are still chasing data services provider Appen for overdue payments weeks after a major tech bungle left them out of pocket, with some expressing fears they will never be remunerated properly for their work.
ASX-listed Appen relies on external contractors to do the grunt work behind artificial intelligence models operated by its Big Tech clients such as Amazon and Microsoft. Tasks its contractors complete include collecting data, transcribing audio and labelling photographs.
In September sections of the ASX company's one million global contractor base encountered faults with their timesheets and payslips when they were migrated onto the new CrowdGen employment system.
Despite Appen publicly stating those issues have since been rectified, many say they are still without pay for September and suspect their October wages won't land either, leaving many in financial hardship.
