Guides

How to become an AI trainer

AI trainers help improve AI models by writing example answers, rating and comparing model responses, correcting mistakes and labelling data. This guide covers what the work involves, who gets hired and how to apply. It’s based on the 894 open roles currently listed here.

What does an AI trainer do?

Companies that build AI models need people to show the models what good answers look like and to judge the answers they give. AI trainers do that work: writing prompts and model answers, rating or ranking responses, explaining what’s wrong with an answer, and labelling text, images, audio or video.

The same work goes by several names: AI training, AI evaluation or rating, RLHF (reinforcement learning from human feedback), data annotation and AI tutoring. Platforms such as Mercor, micro1, Turing, Terac and Handshake AI list these roles, usually as remote, flexible contract work.

Who gets hired?

Most roles look for one of three things: expertise in a field (such as coding, maths, medicine, law or finance), fluency in a language, or careful general judgement and good writing for generalist work. Specialist roles often ask for a degree or professional experience in the field; each listing states its own requirements.

Open roles by field right now:

How to get started

The steps are similar on every platform, though each has its own process:

  1. Pick the field you’re strongest in: a subject you’ve studied or worked in, a programming language or a language you’re fluent in.
  2. Find roles that match it and check the location requirements: many remote roles are open only to applicants in certain countries.
  3. Apply on the platform that lists the role and complete your profile there. Applications, screening and pay all happen on the platform.
  4. Expect an assessment. Platforms usually screen applicants with a skills test, a sample task or a short interview before giving access to projects.
  5. Apply to more than one role or platform: projects open and close often, and availability varies.

Things to check before you apply

Confirm the pay, expected hours, contract terms and location eligibility on the platform itself; listings change and this site doesn’t verify them.

Legitimate platforms don’t charge applicants to apply or to get work. Be wary of anyone who asks you to pay for training, equipment or access to projects.

Find AI trainer jobs that fit you

Browse open roles by skill, language or location: