LinkedIn is launching an "AI labor marketplace" to connect human experts with companies seeking to train artificial intelligence models, the company confirmed. The move positions the Microsoft-owned professional network in direct competition with a series of specialised, high-value startups that have emerged to serve the booming demand for AI training data.
The platform is in early testing phases and has already posted over a dozen public listings for AI trainer roles. These positions offer significant hourly rates, reflecting the specialised knowledge required: a senior software engineer AI trainer can earn up to $150 per hour, while experts in Excel and finance or qualified nurses can make approximately $100 per hour.
What is AI Training Work?
AI trainers are human contractors who improve the performance of large language models and other AI systems. Their work involves rating chatbot responses for accuracy and relevance, testing a model's limits, and providing high-quality data across specific domains like coding, healthcare, and finance. This new category of gig work has expanded rapidly alongside the generative AI boom.
"AI training is one of the fastest-growing jobs in the US right now," a LinkedIn spokesperson told Business Insider. The company has also introduced a feature allowing users to receive notifications for new AI training opportunities posted on the site.
A Competitive and Vulnerable Sector
LinkedIn's entry challenges established players like Mercor and Surge AI. Mercor quintupled its valuation to $10 billion in under a year, while Surge AI, which operates the Data Annotation marketplace, is valued at $24 billion according to a Forbes report.
However, the sector's explosive growth has been accompanied by serious cybersecurity concerns. Last year, Scale AI left confidential contractor and client information exposed across hundreds of publicly accessible Google Docs, which were secured after Business Insider's reporting. Mercor recently suffered a significant data breach that compromised contractor data and triggered five class-action lawsuits in one week.
Scope of Work and Future Implications
Listings on LinkedIn's nascent marketplace seek a wide range of expertise. Roles include a Germanic and Nordic Linguists trainer, paying up to $100 per hour, and "red teaming" positions where individuals test AI systems for vulnerabilities for $40-$50 per hour.
The platform's vast user base of over 1 billion professionals globally could significantly disrupt the current market dynamics for AI training labour, traditionally served by niche startups connecting talent with frontier AI labs like Anthropic and OpenAI.