Overview
- The State Council publicized the Hangzhou judgment Thursday, highlighting a ruling that found an AI-based termination unlawful.
- The case centered on a fintech worker surnamed Zhou whose tasks included matching user questions to large language models and filtering illegal or privacy‑violating content.
- His employer started using AI for parts of the job, offered a lower role with less pay, and fired him after he refused the downgrade.
- Zhou won at arbitration, trial, and appeal, and the court ordered more than ¥260,000 in compensation for unlawful dismissal.
- Judges said using AI does not create the kind of “material change in objective circumstances” needed to end a contract, echoing a 2024 Guangzhou ruling and reinforcing a standard that curbs AI-driven layoffs.