Data workers detail exploitation by tech industry in DAIR report

Kenyan data workers, employed by companies like Sama on behalf of OpenAI, face various mental health issues due to the nature of their work4. They are exposed to a constant stream of violent, graphic, and disturbing content, which they must process quickly. This has led to workers experiencing depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and even turning to drug use to cope. The support provided by the companies has been deemed inadequate, leaving workers to deal with the psychological consequences of their work on their own.

The Data Workers' Inquiry project is a collaboration between AI ethics research group DAIR and TU Berlin, aiming to shed light on the experiences of data workers worldwide1. The project collects firsthand accounts of the working conditions and challenges faced by these workers, focusing on their role in the development and maintenance of AI systems.