Some gig workers are turning to ChatGPT to challenge account deactivations at Uber and Instacart, with one driver saying the chatbot helped him regain access to the ride-hailing platform after losing his account without a clear explanation.
Workers are using AI to prepare evidence, draft responses and navigate arbitration as they attempt to recover access to platforms that provide their income. However, experts warn that relying on chatbots for legal arguments can carry risks.
Uber Driver Says AI Helped Him Regain Access
A Tennessee Uber driver said he turned to ChatGPT after the company deactivated his account without a clear explanation.
After consulting chatbots, he said he drafted a letter citing Uber's driver contract and requesting arbitration. The driver said the chatbot also suggested sending the letter to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi rather than relying only on the company's general arbitration email address.
Gig workers now use ChatGPT against Uber and Instacart bans: 6 worker uses vs 1 disclosed platform use. pic.twitter.com/G2UuyVW6Xu
— Gennaro (@fourweekmba) November 8, 2026
About a week later, the driver could access his account again.
'I followed AI, and I guess it worked,' he told Business Insider.
Although the driver credited AI with helping him challenge the deactivation, the report does not establish that the chatbot's advice directly caused Uber to restore his access.
ChatGPT Helps Instacart Shopper Build a Case
An Instacart shopper deactivated earlier this year is using ChatGPT to challenge the company's claim that he failed to follow the correct route while delivering an order.
The shopper said the chatbot helped him prepare evidence reports and estimate how much he had lost in wages since Instacart deactivated his account. He also consulted it about when to send his latest response and whether he could find a lawyer willing to offer free assistance.
'ChatGPT said to hold off on that for now,' he told Business Insider. 'We're gonna see if we can get a lawyer.'
The shopper has continued corresponding with Instacart about his case, according to the report.
AI Offers Help, but Legal Risks Remain
As independent contractors, gig workers often have limited options when challenging deactivations. Arbitration requirements can also make it difficult to find lawyers willing to represent them.
Robert Bruno, a professor of labour and employment relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said AI could help workers who have few other options.
'They're not locked out of being able to defend themselves because they lack the financial means to hire a very good labor attorney,' he said.
However, Bruno said preparing evidence summaries was only one part of the process. Workers must also make persuasive arguments tailored to the arbitrator hearing their cases.
'I don't think you could just spit that out of Copilot or Claude,' he said.
AI-generated legal briefs can contain errors and undermine a worker's credibility, making accuracy important when preparing arguments.
Uber and Instacart Respond
Neither company directly commented on workers using AI to contest deactivations.
An Uber spokesperson said the company evaluates claims using 'data and facts' regardless of how an appeal is submitted. Uber has said appeals are reviewed by a real person.
An Instacart spokesperson said the company does not 'take deactivation lightly' and allows workers to appeal. The spokesperson added: 'Final deactivation decisions are always reviewed by a human.'
Both companies have previously declined to specify AI's role in initial deactivation decisions.
Uber also uses AI in its interactions with gig workers, with customer service employees often relying on the technology to draft responses to drivers' messages, Business Insider reported last month.
The growing use of AI on both sides of these disputes highlights its expanding role in the gig economy. While chatbots can help workers organise evidence and prepare appeals, they cannot guarantee reinstatement, and the quality of their arguments remains crucial.
