Workers film everyday tasks for global tech firms, earning low wages while powering the next wave of automation.
Image: The Straits Times
Across India, thousands of workers are being hired to train artificial intelligence systems by recording themselves performing simple daily tasks.
In Chennai, 25-year-old housewife Nagireddy Sriramyachandra films herself slicing mangoes and doing household chores while wearing a head-mounted smartphone camera. The footage is used to teach AI-powered robots how to mimic human movement in real-world environments.
Workers earn small payments for each hour of video they submit, often capturing repetitive domestic tasks such as folding clothes, cooking, and cleaning. The data is then sent to companies that specialise in training machine learning models for global clients.
Firms like Objectways, which operates in India and the United States, say this “egocentric data” is essential for developing robots capable of performing physical tasks. The company works with major tech platforms and multinational clients.
Experts say India has become a key hub for AI data collection and annotation, providing large-scale human input needed to train emerging robotics systems.
While the work provides new income opportunities, some workers say they feel constantly monitored and question the long-term impact of automation on jobs.
Policy experts warn that while AI may create new roles, it could also disrupt large segments of informal and low-skilled employment in India’s workforce.
