Online discussion round: how AI is shaping online work

Speaker Dr. Oğuz Alyanak, Postdoctoral Researcher at Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford

Speaker Safiya Husain, Chief Impact Officer & Co-Founder of Karya

Speaker Frida Mwangi, Director & Co-founder at iWorkers Kenya

Artificial intelligence or machine learning requires extensive “training data” that helps AI models learn to make connections and identify objects for purposes like facial and image recognition. This training data is prepared through human labor on Digital Labor Platforms (DLPs), a prominent example being Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). Here, cloudworkers earn fixed amounts of money by completing tasks like labeling and classifying datasets to help AI models learn.

Humans also perform tasks that AI cannot comprehend or complete and supplement AI decision-making, making human labor an integral part of AI functionality. Despite their crucial role, the labor of cloudworkers often remains invisible, earning the term “ghost work” from Gray and Suri (2019). As AI technology continues to evolve and permeate various sectors, the importance of cloudwork and the ethical questions surrounding DLPs become increasingly significant.

Whether you’re an AI enthusiast, a digital worker, or a business leader, this event promises to provide valuable insights and spark meaningful conversations. We will explore the trajectory of AI and its growing presence in the workforce, questioning whether the rise of algorithms and automation is an unstoppable force shaping the future of work. Our aim is to uncover the hidden labor and vast resources behind AI technologies to discuss the often-overlooked human effort that keeps AI systems running, as well as the sectors where AI is set to dominate and the implications for workers in these fields.

Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and understand the evolving landscape of AI and work. Register now and be part of the conversation shaping the future of labor and technology.