What’s the state of AI compensation?
In our continued effort to understand the competitive landscape of the AI sector, we conducted a survey on AI training compensation. While some takeaways were as expected, we gained deeper insights into AI roles like data labeling and computer vision.
With data points from over 150 sources, we learned the best compensation models for workers and employers, the highest-paying AI training roles, and how human experts are compensated according to their specialization.
HireArt’s Research Methodology:
To compile this data, we compiled over 150 compensation data points from sources, including:
With our data set, we found the average pay rates for common positions in the AI sector in 15+ countries and 20+ specializations.
*Please note that this data doesn’t represent the low-cost task-based labor options that often pay $2-$3 per task.
Before diving in, here are a few terms to know.
Large Language Model (LLM): Large language models are machine learning models that can comprehend and natural language processing tasks (e.g. translating text, creating content, acting as customer support chatbots)
Data Labeling: Data labeling, also commonly known as data annotation, is the process of adding labels to raw data. This helps machine learning models to understand and interpret context around the data. Data labelers are workers hired to tag, organize, process, and file data for later use.
Computer Vision: Computer vision is a field of computer science that focuses on enabling computers to identify and understand objects and people in images and videos.
Off-shore, Crowd-sourced Workers: Crowdsourcing describes the collection of information, opinions, or output from offshore workers. Typically, these workers are sourced and eventually employed through the internet.
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): This term describes the entire field of theoretical AI research. AI research attempts to create software that mimics human intelligence., to teach itself, and to perform tasks as its knowledge compounds.
Subject Matter Expert (SME) Trainer: SMEs are AI trainers with an expert level of understanding in the field of data being labeled.
While the variety of Artificial Intelligence roles increases with adoption, our data profiled four of the most popular specialized AI roles at the time of publishing:
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the project management role offers the highest level of compensation. Since AI project management roles require a combination of skill sets, the average low pay rate of $46.71 per hour, and average high pay rate of $61.86.
Similarly, an AI training lead receives a higher hourly equivalent than trainers. AI training leads have a variety of responsibilities. Along with their expertise in AI systems, AI leads also design training strategies, identify performance deficiencies, refine AI models, and adjust algorithms.
Specialized SME AI Trainers earn a higher hourly rate, with respect to the expertise they bring to their subject matter and its accompanying data set.
Finally, Generalist AI Trainers earn the lowest hourly equivalent rate, with a low average hourly rate of $20.36 and high rate of $25.33.
It’s common to see Data Labelers, both Generalists and Specialists, paid per task or hourly, depending on the best incentive for the task.
For generative AI tasks that require cross-functional skills, a per-hour compensation model is the most effective.
Common cross-functional skills
However, for computer vision tasks, which require volume and speed over expertise, the per-task compensation model makes more sense.
Up until recently, data labeling was accomplished primarily off-shore through crowd-sourced workers.
This model still works well for computer vision labeling, which mainly focuses on identifying and describing people and objects in graphic assets.
The advancements in LLMs have led to a shift in the data labeling talent landscape.
With the advancement of AI, teams balance their workforce with topic generalists and specialists to provide efficiency and expert-level accuracy, respectively.
Organizations are also building in-house AI teams through staffing partners to supplement traditional crowd-sourced labor.
Hourly equivalent pay rates vary by country. Our AI Compensations Insights Report details 20+ countries and their corresponding compensation rates.
As companies set out to achieve AGI, specialists are increasingly in demand.
Unlike generalist labelers, who are typically easier to hire from overseas, specialized workers can be more difficult to find at scale and in low-labor-cost countries.
As AI advances rapidly, so are the skill sets needed to satisfactorily fulfill specialized categories.
According to our data, specializations like computer science and coding compensate between $50.25 and $64.97 per hour. By contrast, broader specializations like language, pay between $24.87 and $27.56.
HireArt is a contract workforce platform that works with top AI companies to source, employ, and manage top-performing contract workforces.
We provide our clients with the tools and visibility needed to easily manage their contract workforce and staffing vendors in a single seamless, instantly-deployable platform.
Download the report to access all of our AI Compensation insights.
