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Opinion
As great powers bet on AI, what of the workforce holding it together?
The future of artificial intelligence depends not only on algorithms but on who controls and benefits from the labour that machines rely on
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Kavitha Yarlagadda is an independent writer based in Hyderabad, India, who writes about the environment, science, health, social media, food, culture and travel.
Artificial intelligence (AI) may look automated, but it runs on human labour. Behind every chatbot and image generator are thousands of people labelling images, tagging text, moderating content and training systems to understand language and culture. This invisible workforce has quietly become a critical layer of the global AI economy.
India has emerged as a major hub for this work. Its large English-speaking workforce and long history in information technology outsourcing have made it a go-to location for data annotation, content moderation and AI training support. However, much of this labour is low-paid and contract-based, raising questions about whether India merely risks becoming a data labour back office.
By contrast, China is moving to formalise and scale data labelling. Policymakers are encouraging the structured annotation of data to feed domestic AI development. This state-backed approach treats data and labelling not as peripheral tasks, but as strategic infrastructure, helping Chinese firms build systems tailored to local industries and governance needs.
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