Robot Trainers In China Earn Rs 85,000 A Month For Boring Repetitive Chores

Scores of people in China are taking up unusual jobs as "robot trainers," wearing motion-capture sensors to spend their days folding laundry, washing dishes, and picking up cups over and over again, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. While the job helps tech companies gather the physical data needed to teach artificial intelligence (AI) how to operate in homes and factories, the workers doing the training say the work is gruelling. 

Also read | Australian Woman Charged After Mixing Colleague's Curry With Snail Poison

What does the job involve?

According to the media outlet, robot trainers wear special sensor gear, such as sensor bracelets and cameras fitted on their heads, while following prompts on a computer screen. They repeat everyday tasks like scrubbing counters, folding shirts, and moving objects.

These human movements are recorded and turned into training sets so that future robots can learn.

The report mentioned that for many workers, the day involves completing hundreds of repetitions. Some employees note that they have to wash dishes or wipe tables up to 200 times a day just to meet their quotas, with digital screens tracking their productivity and speed.

Also read | 'So Damn Wholesome': Blinkit Riders Rescue Puppy Who Now Joins Them On Deliveries, Internet Reacts

According to the outlet, such roles are getting popular in the country as the advertisements are shared on social media platforms.

The trainers reportedly earn between 4,000 yuan and 6,000 yuan (US$600 and US$900; around Rs 85,000) a month.

"Rather than training robots, it feels more like teaching a two-year-old child," a local social media user said as quoted by the outlet. 

Such jobs attract a mix of job seekers, including older workers who faced layoffs, students looking for short-term internships, and parents who want to work from home.

However, many workers find that the money does not justify the heavy physical and mental strain. 

The trend has sparked plenty of discussion and irony on the local social media platform, with one user calling it "deeply ironic". 

"Humans are teaching robots to work, yet those machines will one day replace the very workers who trained them," the user added as quoted in the report.