India's AI Trainers: How Everyday Workers Are Shaping Robot Capabilities
Nadia Petrov | AFP
Indian workers are earning modest sums training AI systems with real-life tasks, reflecting the intersection of labor, technology, and automation in a country poised as an AI industry leader.
With a smartphone strapped to her head, Nagireddy Sriramyachandra films herself slicing mangoes in her kitchen in Chennai, earning just over two dollars per hour. Her recordings cater to global tech companies teaching AI-powered robots to mimic human movements and navigate real-world environments. 'Who else will give you 250 rupees an hour just for doing housework?' Sriramyachandra remarked, adding, 'I may get a robot myself in the future.'
AI trainers like Sriramyachandra are part of a growing labor sector in India, which has established itself as a hub for spatial AI data creation and processing. Some workers film tasks at home using head-mounted cameras and motion sensors, while others collaborate with companies like Objectways in factories or dedicated studios. Objectways, which operates in India and the United States, provides services to Fortune 500 clients and partners with platforms like Amazon SageMaker to develop machine-learning models.
How AI Training Reflects a Shifting Labor Landscape
Experts believe first-person footage, referred to as 'egocentric data,' will enable robots to replicate human behavior for tasks such as folding clothes, making sandwiches, and other routine work. Ravi Shankar, CEO of Objectways, explained that much of this development aims to free humans from repetitive tasks to focus on 'better things.'
However, while training AI systems creates jobs temporarily, automation connected to these advancements raises concerns for India’s workforce. According to government think tank NITI Aayog, most discussions on automation disproportionately focus on its impact on white-collar professionals. Little emphasis is placed on informal workers,an estimated 490 million people who form the backbone of the Indian economy. The think tank noted that while AI could help streamline certain industries, unaddressed disruptions might harm fragile sectors, including trades such as cobbling, farming, and flower garland-making.
Inside India’s AI Studios and Factories
At manufacturing facilities and AI studios managed by Objectways, workers,some equipped with head-mounted cameras, others with motion sensors on their wrists and legs,film themselves performing specific tasks repeatedly. In one textile factory in Tamil Nadu, eight workers were seen attaching labels to fabric products while recording overhead footage as directed. Task repetition is also common at Objectways studios, where environments are designed to mimic furnished apartments for household video data collection. After thousands of recordings, the scenery is rotated to offer variety for corporate clients.
This burgeoning line of work has attracted firms like Qanat Consulting Services in Andhra Pradesh, an Objectways subcontractor employing 2,000 contributors to film routine actions for broader markets. Another firm, Humyn Labs, headquartered in Bengaluru, focuses on speech-pattern recording in addition to video documentation, enabling AI systems to analyze conversational behavior.
The Implications of Robots and Human-Labor Balance
As companies work to make robots an established part of industries worldwide, some voices, like Humyn Labs’ Manish Agarwal, envision collaboration between robots and humans rather than outright replacement. Agarwal posited a future where a welder in India might oversee robotic operations in faraway locations like Prague, blending human skill and robotic precision.
Others, particularly informal workers like Bengaluru’s flower garland maker Ponni, view automation with mixed apprehension. Ponni shared concerns about diminishing prospects for younger generations tasked with similar hands-on occupations, stating that change brought on by technology could exacerbate economic insecurity among manual laborers.
Why AI and Labor Present an Urgent Opportunity for Cities
India’s role as a global AI training hub demonstrates how urban centers can embrace innovation while grappling with economic inequities. Cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Karur represent hubs connecting informal workers to international tech industries, underscoring their potential as focal points for both opportunity and labor vulnerability. For municipal leaders, maintaining workforce resilience while leveraging technology is a central challenge. Policymakers must explore ways to buffer workers from economic shocks and ensure AI-driven industries include protections for informal laborers.
Further, cities worldwide face similar crossroads amid growing automation trends. Investments in AI systems for industrial and commercial use must come hand-in-hand with strategies to preserve jobs and retrain displaced workers. As AI reshapes global economies, forward-looking municipal plans could ensure cities adapt without marginalizing their most vulnerable workforce segments. Nagireddy Sriramyachandra’s remarks echo this dilemma: while training AI offers economic benefits now, workers may one day face automation’s full impact. The choices urban leaders make today will define how humanity navigates its shared future with intelligent systems.
Questions That Matter
What do Indian workers do to train AI systems?
Indian workers train AI systems by filming everyday tasks like slicing mangoes, folding towels, and making flower garlands. Workers earn just over two dollars per hour and use head cameras or motion sensors.
Which firms are involved in India's AI training efforts?
Objectways, with offices in India and the U.S., oversees AI training for Fortune 500 clients, collaborating with platforms like Amazon SageMaker. Subcontractors like Qanat Consulting Services also supply data.