Appen’s highest priority is delivering the best-quality data to our partners. That means bringing in the best people we can, and creating a workplace that treats them with respect. This is why we were disappointed to see Appen recently inaccurately portrayed in the press.
There’s a massive amount of human effort involved in creating helpful AI experiences, and Appen’s contributor team has been a vital part of the AI development process for decades, which is why we’ve been actively investing in workplace enhancements like smarter training, and improved benefits. Appen always complies with minimum wages requirements for our contributors and works to go above where it makes financial sense.
We enable AI for companies all over the world and we couldn’t do it without the support of our global contributors. This one million strong team plays a critical role in ensuring Responsibility by Design–that’s why we established programs like our code of ethics and fair pay, to ensure Appen’s data is sourced and managed fairly.
We deeply value our years-long relationship with Google and all our customers. As a mission-critical partner of some of the most innovative, visible companies in the world, we aren’t always at liberty to speak publicly about the sensitive work we do. We also aren’t free to discuss the employment conditions of specific team members. Our policy is not to discriminate against employees due to any protected labor activities.
Shorter term, we’re exploring several options to find a respectful, equitable resolution with former team members who felt the need to speak out last week. Longer term, we’re still fully committed to providing opportunities to a global workforce with a focus on inclusivity, equity, and well-being.
Armughan Ahmad
Chief Executive Officer
