241,000 Uber Drivers Sue Over AI Pay System, Seeking Billions Under GDPR
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 2
241,000 Uber Drivers Sue Over AI Pay System, Seeking Billions Under GDPR
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 2
Summary
Amsterdam district court received a collective claim covering about 241,000 Uber drivers in the EU and UK, seeking damages and an injunction over AI-driven pay setting and job allocation.
The lawsuit alleges Uber’s “black box” algorithm profiles drivers, offers different pay for the same trip and has cut annual incomes by about £5,000 in the UK since dynamic pricing began in 2023.
Worker Info Exchange is leading what the European Trade Union Confederation called the first class action of its kind, arguing Uber also used driver data unlawfully to train AI models.
Uber, valued at about $150 billion, said it categorically rejects the allegations, insisting fares reflect trip details rather than individual behavior and that dynamic pricing can raise pay on less attractive rides.
The case adds to Uber’s regulatory pressure in Europe after Dutch authorities fined it €825 million last month over automated driver deactivations without adequate notice.