Get paid to train AI

The best AI training platforms for experts

Mercor, micro1 and Handshake AI are sizeable, genuine companies, and Scale AI runs Outlier. Below: the owner behind each, their past problems, and the first steps to join.

Independent and sourced. Some buyers pay us a referral fee. It never changes your price or our scores. How we earn

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Ranked platforms

1
micro1
micro1 recruits experts for paid AI training projects. Its funding, growth, referral programs, what the work involves and our verdict for professionals.
Pay: Hourly range on every listing: $6 to $400 seen, most $50 to $90 (Oct 2026)
8.2 / 10
Review
2
Mercor
Mercor hires expert contractors for AI lab projects. Its scale, referral bonus, the March 2026 breach and lawsuits, and our verdict for professionals.
Pay: Rate shown on each listing; Mercor cites a $97/hr average contracted rate
7.4 / 10
Review
3
Outlier
Outlier pays contributors for AI training tasks and is operated by Scale AI, which Meta part-owns. Ownership, referral program, and our verdict.
Pay: Rate shown per listing: up to $8 to $35/hr on open roles (Oct 2026)
6.6 / 10
Review
Handshake AI Not reviewed yet
Runs the paid Handshake AI Fellowship for people on the Handshake career network.
Its AI training unit was reported near $1B in gross ARR in April 2026 (Dealroom, citing The Information).
Surge AI Not reviewed yet
Hires workers through DataAnnotation.tech, which is reported to be its subsidiary.
TIME reported the link in 2024. DataAnnotation's own site does not name Surge.

How we score platforms

Five criteria, each backed by public facts. A platform only gets a score once evidence covers at least a third of the weighting. Referral fees never count.

Full methodology

Pay
Weight
30%
What we look at
Median pay in public job listings for each field
Work availability
Weight
20%
What we look at
How many listings stay open over 90 days
Payment reliability
Weight
20%
What we look at
Published payment terms and reported late payments
Onboarding fairness
Weight
15%
What we look at
Paid or unpaid screening, its length, and whether you can try again
Reputation and incidents
Weight
15%
What we look at
Breaches, lawsuits and pay cuts lower the score

Criterion	Weight	What we look at
Pay	30%	Median pay in public job listings for each field
Work availability	20%	How many listings stay open over 90 days
Payment reliability	20%	Published payment terms and reported late payments
Onboarding fairness	15%	Paid or unpaid screening, its length, and whether you can try again
Reputation and incidents	15%	Breaches, lawsuits and pay cuts lower the score

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You hear from us when the pay index goes live, when roles open up, or when a platform makes news.

AI training work: questions, answered

Are AI training jobs legit?

The leading platforms are genuine, revenue-earning businesses: Mercor has reported a run rate over $2B, Handshake's AI training arm nearly $1B and micro1 roughly $500M gross. Sign up on the platform's own website only, and look up any past breaches before you hand over ID or bank details.

Is Outlier part of Scale AI?

Both sit under Scale AI: Outlier names Scale AI as its operator and Remotasks calls it a backer. Meta holds 49% of Scale AI.

Is DataAnnotation.tech owned by Surge AI?

That has been reported, including by TIME in 2024, but DataAnnotation's own website does not name Surge. We treat it as reported, not confirmed.

Which platform pays the most?

Pay is unranked for now. We will score it once our public index of job listings is ready, and that index is still in progress. Until then, compare the rates each platform posts for your field.

What does Handshake AI pay for referrals?

Handshake's terms give you a tenth of your referral's hourly pay, capped at 40 hours within 6 months. For a $50 hourly rate, the most you can earn per referral is $200.

Is Mercor legit?

Yes, it is a large, funded company valued at $10B in October 2025. In March 2026 it disclosed a cyberattack, which led to a number of class actions. Read our Mercor review before you apply.

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Ranked platforms

How we score platforms

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AI training work: questions, answered

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Sources (12)