Social media giant TikTok made a major symbolic move today by canning hundreds of UK and Asian moderators as it attempts to integrate artificial intelligence into more processes throughout the company.

The Chinese tech giant said that workers displaced in the move will have priority in hiring if they meet unspecified criteria. The company did not disclose the exact number of people laid off from its 2,500 in the UK, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The BBC reports that the move was immediately met with criticism from unions and online safety advocates.

“[TikTok is] putting corporate greed over the safety of workers and the public,” John Chadfield, the national tech officer for the Communications Workers Union (CWU), told the BBC.

“TikTok workers have long been sounding the alarm o

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