Contractors working for data-labelling startup Handshake AI are being paid to create materials that train OpenAI's ChatGPT to understand and perform tasks from hundreds of specialised occupations, according to project documents obtained by Business Insider. The ongoing initiative, known internally as Project Stagecraft, employs 3,000 to 4,000 freelancers to develop detailed, real-world professional scenarios for the AI model.
One contractor, who works in a niche field, told Business Insider: "We all were aware that we were basically training AI to replace us." The project focuses on "knowledge work, not manual labour," according to a Handshake training guide, with the aim of mapping economically relevant tasks and evaluating the model's capabilities.
From Generalist to Specialist AI Training
As artificial intelligence systems become more advanced, the data-labelling industry is shifting from generalist work to highly specialised tasks requiring field expertise. Handshake AI, which expanded from a job platform for young professionals, is part of an ecosystem of startups that pay hundreds of thousands of contractors globally to filter, rank, and train AI responses for major tech firms like OpenAI and Meta.
According to Handshake's website, expert taskers can be paid up to **$500 per hour** for contract work, though listings were not explicitly tied to OpenAI. The project directs contractors to assume a professional persona—such as a nurse practitioner or financial manager—and create a set of prompts that simulate real-world workflows and deliverables.
The "Stagecraft" Methodology and Quality Control
Contractors are instructed to provide their persona with context, goals, references, and a digital-only deliverable, like a 10-page medical literature review. "The request should reflect real-world workflows and professional expectations, without adjusting the level of detail based on assumptions about what an AI 'needs,'" a Handshake training guide states.
To ensure accuracy, the materials undergo **two reviews at Handshake**, including one by an industry expert focusing on job-specific details. OpenAI then conducts a third review. Handshake's manual states this work "directly shapes how models understand real professional tasks, helping them learn from genuine human expertise."
Payment Disputes and Lack of Comment
The project's scale was revealed in a **439-row spreadsheet of jobs** sent to contractors, which included hundreds of personal email addresses and was accessible to anyone with the link. Occupations ranged from animal husbandry and agriculture to music composition and commercial flying.
Last month, Business Insider reported that some contractors on Handshake's OpenAI projects alleged the startup denied them payment of up to several thousand dollars each, after accusing them of violating platform rules. "This decision is final. There is no appeal process," Handshake support wrote in an email seen by Business Insider.
Both OpenAI and Handshake AI did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Business Insider regarding Project Stagecraft or the payment disputes.