Inside the AI Factory: The Annotators Behind Self-Driving Cars
A few months after finishing his studies in Nairobi, a 30-year-old man, whom we’ll refer to as Joe, landed a job as an annotator. Joe’s job consisted of sorting and labeling vast amounts of data that the machines use to train artificial intelligence (AI). While AI learns by finding patterns in enormous quantities of data, humans are needed to sort and tag that data. These annotators are mostly hidden behind the machines, but they play a crucial role in the development of AI.
Joe’s job was to label footage for self-driving cars. He spent hours identifying every vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, and anything the self-driving car needs to be aware of. Frame by frame and from every possible camera angle, Joe annotated the footage, a task that was both tedious and difficult. It could take him up to eight hours to annotate a several-second blip of footage, and he was paid roughly $10 for that.
Annotators like Joe are an essential part of the AI development process. Without them, the machines would not be able to learn from the data they are given. Their job might seem mundane, but it is nevertheless crucial. They are the ones responsible for ensuring that the data used to train AI is accurately labeled, and they play a vital role in making sure that self-driving cars are safe.
Annotating data for AI is just one of the many jobs that require humans to work alongside machines. As technology becomes more sophisticated, these jobs are becoming more important than ever. While machines are getting better at processing data, they still can’t do everything without human help. That’s where people like Joe come in.
Annotators are part of a growing field of workers who support the development of AI. Although their job might not be glamorous, they play a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy and safety of AI systems. With the increasing demand for AI in areas like self-driving cars, the importance of these workers is only going to grow.
In conclusion, behind every self-driving car, there are hundreds of hours of tedious and repetitive work carried out by humans like Joe. These workers may not often receive the recognition they deserve, but they are essential to the development of AI. As technology continues to evolve, it is important to keep in mind the vital role that humans play in the development of AI.
