The Indian workers training AI robots to take their jobs

Indian workers are training AI-powered robots by recording household tasks with head-mounted cameras, earning minimal wages for their contributions. Nagireddy Sriramyachandra, a 25-year-old housewife from Chennai, films herself slicing mangoes and other chores for AI data company Objectways, which pays her around 250 rupees per hour. The footage, called 'egocentric data,' helps robots learn human-like movements for tasks like folding clothes or making sandwiches. Objectways, with offices in India and the U.S., supplies specialized equipment—video glasses, head cameras, and motion sensors—to workers in factories or studios. The company collaborates with Amazon SageMaker, a platform for machine learning models, and serves Fortune 500 clients. CEO Ravi Shankar predicts AI robots will handle repetitive jobs, freeing humans for more complex work. India is positioning itself as a global hub for AI data collection, employing thousands in the emerging field of spatial AI. However, experts warn automation risks displacing informal workers, who make up nearly half of India’s labor force. A report by government think-tank NITI Aayog highlights the lack of focus on how AI could impact professions like cobblers, farmers, and street vendors. In Bengaluru, 55-year-old Ponni, a roadside flower garland maker, also recorded tasks with a head-mounted phone, expressing concern for future generations. Meanwhile, Objectways studios simulate real-world environments, filming trainers performing tasks in furnished apartments to create varied datasets for clients. The boom in humanoid robots, with Morgan Stanley predicting over a billion in use by 2050, underscores India’s role in shaping AI’s labor market impact. While the technology offers economic opportunities, its long-term effects on informal workers remain uncertain.