WiseTech begins redundancies – but omits ‘AI’ from emails to Chinese employees, workers say | AI (artificial intelligence)
Publish Date: 2026-05-21 11:00:00
Source Domain: www.theguardian.com
Here are the key points from the article about WiseTech:
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Redundancy Announcement: WiseTech has begun informing staff that they will lose their jobs as part of a redundancy process targeting nearly 30% of its global workforce, citing AI advancements as the primary cause.
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International Layoff Process: The layoffs, which involve cutting about 2,000 jobs from a total of 7,000 employees across 40 countries, have already started in South Korea and Mexico and are scheduled to commence in Australia next week.
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Communications Variation: The company’s initial communication referred to an “AI transformation” but altered wording in an email to China-based staff to remove references to AI, possibly due to a recent court case in China related to a worker being replaced by AI.
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Employee Morale and Concerns: Employees have expressed frustration and lowered morale over the lack of clear communication regarding job cuts. They’ve been waiting nearly three months for official confirmation of redundancies, leading to high anxiety and loss of pride in working for the company.
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Union Action: The union representing the tech workers, Professionals Australia, has presented a petition to WiseTech calling for fair redundancy packages, improved transparency, and better consultation in response to these layoffs.
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Statement from WiseTech: A representative for WiseTech stated that internal communications were adapted due to different legal and regulatory requirements across various jurisdictions. They emphasized their commitment to treating employees fairly and respecting their obligations throughout the process.
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