In Karur, India, at the Texworth textile factory, workers are unwittingly participating in training AI robots. Shoba Kirubakaran, a 40-year-old packing aprons, wears a GoPro to record her movements. This data is used to teach robots the job, a fact the company did not disclose. NPR revealed this to her during an interview. Kirubakaran, who earns $90 a month and has been at the factory for 10 years, felt uninformed about this technology.
“Nobody told me anything about it,” Kirubakaran said.
Scenes like these stirred the public when a video of workers with headsets went viral. News outlets highlighted the situation, cautioning that AI robots are being primed to replace human roles in factories across India.
Recording Egocentric Data
India becomes a key player in providing ‘egocentric data.’ This data is crucial for AI robot training, capturing human perspectives through camera-equipped devices. Prathosh A.P., a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, explained this need as a way to bestow motor skills on AI systems.
Workers are sometimes compensated for wearing recording gear, but many are not informed about the purpose. Astha Kapoor of the Aapti Institute describes this practice as labor exploitation. Questions arise about the impact on India’s 600-million-strong workforce. Amit Basole, an economics professor, expressed skepticism about policy agility to handle workforce disruptions.
Cost and Power Challenges
While AI may seem promising, experts doubt the imminent deployment of AI robots in India. They cite high costs and unreliable power as significant challenges. Kapoor and Ravi Shankar, CEO of tech company Objectways, agree that running robots might be too expensive compared to human labor.
Objectways operates in Karur, feeding egocentric data to AI developers. They face power issues, relying on generators for stable electricity. Shankar stated that Indian clients request AI for jobs like rubber tapping and solar panel maintenance, where human workers are scarce.
Training Robots for Various Tasks
Objectways employees train robots for repetitive tasks for overseas clients. They gather ‘exocentric data’ by simulating jobs with robotic claws. Rajeshkumar Ramaswamy explained their approach: teaching robots to identify and interact with various objects, starting with something as simple as unscrewing bottle caps.
Robots are also prepared for domestic tasks. Inside a mocked-up home, workers record themselves doing household jobs like cutting onions. The aim: train robots for U.S. markets, accounting for cultural and material differences in household items.
Broader Implications for Workers
Egocentric data collection offers new income for some Indian workers like Sneha Jegadish, who films herself doing housework. Earning $2.60 an hour, Jegadish records domestic chores, though it’s not her primary career ambition.
Textile worker Kannagi Periyasaamy earns similarly by documenting her tasks. She recognizes the potential for job replacement by robots and ponders alternative options like farming. Periyasaamy regards the process as teaching AI systems, finding pride in imparting her skills to machines.