Delivery riders demand platforms open the AI 'black box' they blame for cutting pay
nordicinst · x · 2026-09-05
Food delivery riders in Edinburgh are demanding that Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat open up the algorithmic "black box" that determines which jobs they get and how much they're paid, blaming increased AI automation for falling wages.
One rider of seven years says he now makes half of what he earned four years ago for the same hours. With help from academics — including Nordic scholars joining UK riders — the workers are investigating how the dispatch and pricing systems work. The story underscores the growing push for algorithmic transparency in gig work, where pay, order volume, and penalties are all set by opaque automated systems with little recourse.
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