A long-serving Commonwealth Bank employee has revealed she was unknowingly helping train the artificial intelligence system that eventually replaced her after 25 years of service.
Kathryn Sullivan, 63, who worked as a bank teller, said she was blindsided when she and a colleague were made redundant in July, despite her final duties including scripting and testing chatbot responses for the bank’s Bumblebee AI.
“Inadvertently, I was training a chatbot that took my job,” Ms Sullivan said. “I was completely shell-shocked… we just feel like we were nothing, we were a number.”
The veteran banker admitted she had supported technologies aimed at improving customer service but never imagined she was preparing her own replacement.
CBA, which posted a $10.25 billion profit last financial year, initially failed to respond to Ms Sullivan for more than a week after her dismissal. The bank later conceded its rollout had been flawed after customer complaints surged, forcing it to reinstate some of the roles.
“The bank’s initial assessment that 45 roles were not required did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations,” a spokesperson said. “We have apologised to the employees concerned.”
Although some affected staff were offered their jobs back, Ms Sullivan opted for redundancy, citing insecurity in the new terms.
Her story has ignited debate over the human cost of AI, as the bank continues to expand its artificial intelligence initiatives, including a new partnership with OpenAI to combat scams and fraud.
The controversy also drew fire after revelations that CBA hired about 100 workers in India just weeks after axing more than 300 Australian staff.
Speaking at an AI symposium at Parliament House, Ms Sullivan urged stronger safeguards against the unchecked replacement of human jobs.
While Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock warned of looming labour disruptions, ACTU leaders and senior government officials stressed that AI must empower workers, not displace them.
Assistant Productivity Minister Andrew Leigh summed it up: “Technology should serve people, not the other way around.”
Comments