Kenyan workers who played a crucial role in training OpenAI’s ChatGPT algorithm have called for an investigation into the working conditions endured at companies like Sama, which provide content moderation and AI services to tech giants such as Google, Meta, and OpenAI. The workers, supported by digital rights advocate Mercy Sumbi, filed a petition with Kenya’s National Assembly, urging them to address the exploitative practices and inadequately regulated tech work that has negatively impacted the lives of young Kenyans.
The petition sheds light on troubling conditions faced by the workers, who were offered temporary contracts by Sama (formerly known as Samasource) without a comprehensive understanding of their job requirements. Once employed, they were allegedly subjected to the arduous task of viewing and categorizing extremely disturbing content involving sexual violence, including bestiality, necrophilia, incestuous acts, harm to minors, self-harm, suicide, torture, and rape. This was done to train ChatGPT to recognize and respond appropriately to such content. Shockingly, the workers received no psychological support, leading to severe mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), paranoia, depression, and anxiety as a result of their exposure to the distressing material.
Mercy Sumbi expressed her concerns about the exploitation faced by African youth at the hands of tech giants, stating, Quite literally the fortunes of Big Tech are currently built on the broken backs and minds of African youth. These sentiments reflect the alarming situation faced by workers in Kenya.
An investigative report by Time magazine in January revealed that these workers were paid less than $2.00 per hour or a maximum of $170 per month for performing this distressing work. One anonymous Sama worker described the experience as torture, mentioning the mental disturbance caused by repeatedly encountering such explicit and horrifying content.
According to a whistleblower, top management at major tech companies like Microsoft were aware of the traumatic nature of the outsourced work in Kenya. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, acknowledged the challenges involved in developing AI systems but emphasized the potential benefits outweighing the difficulties.
The nature of the work and its detrimental effects on the Kenyan workforce led Sama to terminate its contract with OpenAI prematurely in February 2022, eight months earlier than planned.
This petition serves as a catalyst for action, urging the National Assembly to investigate the exploitation endured by workers at the hands of Sama and American tech companies. It also calls for the implementation of regulations to safeguard the rights and well-being of tech workers in Kenya.
Sumbi emphasized the importance of honest conversations regarding tech work carried out in Kenya on behalf of Big Tech companies. While striving to become an attractive destination for these companies, she questioned the potential cost if necessary precautions to protect workers are not taken, asserting that exploitation cannot be mistaken for investment.
