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Robot Trainers Strain Under Repetitive AI Labor
16 Oct
Summary
- Workers wear sensors to train AI by repeating daily tasks.
- Daily quotas involve hundreds of repetitions, like washing dishes.
- Pay is between 4,000-6,000 yuan, but strain is high.
Scores of individuals in China are undertaking "robot trainer" roles, a job that involves wearing motion-capture sensors to meticulously repeat everyday tasks. These actions, such as folding laundry or washing dishes, are recorded to provide the essential physical data for training artificial intelligence (AI).
Workers often perform hundreds of repetitions daily, with some tasked with washing dishes up to 200 times to meet productivity targets. Advertisements for these roles are circulating on social media, attracting diverse job seekers including older workers, students, and parents.
While the monthly earnings range from 4,000 to 6,000 yuan (approximately US$600 to US$900), many participants report that the financial reward does not adequately compensate for the significant physical and mental strain involved.
The trend has prompted discussions about the irony of humans training machines that may eventually replace them.
