From kitchens to factories: Indians train future robots

Dubai: In kitchens, factories and specially designed studios across India, thousands of workers are helping train the next generation of AI-powered robots — machines that could eventually perform many of the same tasks they do today.

Using head-mounted cameras, smartphones and motion sensors, workers record everyday activities such as chopping vegetables, folding clothes, making coffee and arranging household items. The footage, known as “egocentric data,” allows artificial intelligence systems to learn how humans move and interact with the real world.

One such worker is 25-year-old Chennai resident Nagireddy Sriramyachandra, who earns around Rs250 ($3) an hour filming herself carrying out household chores for AI data company Objectways. The company supplies data to global technology firms developing humanoid robots and advanced AI systems.

The demand for such data is rising as companies race to build robots capable of handling domestic, industrial and commercial tasks. Investment bank Morgan Stanley estimates that more than one billion humanoid robots could be in use globally by 2050.

While the emerging industry is creating jobs for thousands of Indians, experts and workers alike acknowledge concerns about automation replacing human labour in the future. Some industry leaders argue that robots will complement workers rather than replace them, creating new opportunities in an increasingly AI-driven economy.

Video by AFP