The 60 Minutes video highlights the exploitation of Kenyan workers in the AI training sector, who earn as little as $2 an hour while performing essential data labeling tasks for major tech companies. It emphasizes the harsh working conditions, mental health challenges, and lack of labor protections that these workers face, calling for greater accountability and ethical responsibility from the companies involved.
The video from 60 Minutes explores the harsh realities faced by workers in Kenya who are employed in the artificial intelligence (AI) training sector. Contrary to the common narrative that AI will render human jobs obsolete, the segment highlights the crucial role of “humans in the loop”—individuals who manually label and sort data to train AI systems for major tech companies like Meta, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. These workers, often earning as little as $2 an hour, are essential for teaching AI to recognize objects, faces, and even complex scenarios, despite the growing capabilities of AI technologies.
The story focuses on Naali Walo, a college-educated father of two, who found work in this emerging field after struggling with high unemployment rates in Kenya, particularly among young people. Naali and his colleagues spend long hours labeling images and videos, a task that is both monotonous and mentally taxing. The video emphasizes that while AI is advancing, the need for human input remains significant, as new technologies continuously emerge that require extensive data labeling.
However, the working conditions and compensation for these jobs are alarming. Workers are often employed through outsourcing firms, which act as intermediaries between them and the tech giants, leading to exploitation. Activists describe these workplaces as “AI sweatshops,” where employees are subjected to unrealistic deadlines and poor pay, with contracts that are often short-term and lack job security. The video reveals that while companies like OpenAI pay outsourcing firms significantly more per worker, the actual wages received by the workers are minimal.
The mental toll of the job is also a critical issue. Many workers are assigned to review disturbing content, including graphic violence and sexual abuse, which can lead to severe psychological distress. Despite claims from companies that mental health support is provided, workers report that the assistance is inadequate and does not address their trauma effectively. This has led to a lawsuit against Sama, one of the outsourcing firms, by workers who claim that their mental health has been severely impacted by their work conditions.
The video concludes by highlighting the broader implications of these practices, noting that the lack of labor laws in Kenya allows companies to exploit workers without accountability. As the country seeks to attract more tech giants, there is a fear among workers that speaking out against their conditions could jeopardize their jobs. The segment calls attention to the ethical responsibilities of these companies and the need for better protections for workers in the digital labor market, emphasizing that the exploitation seen in Kenya should not be tolerated.