Thousands of people around the world are selling their identities to train AI, but at what cost?
A global investigation reveals a growing gray market where thousands of people worldwide are selling their biometric data—voices, faces, call logs, and daily videos—to train AI models for small payments. Examples include individuals in South Africa, India, and the U.S. earning modest sums through apps like Kled AI, Silencio, and Neon Mobile. While this provides crucial income, especially in economically strained regions, it raises serious concerns about privacy, exploitation, and long-term risks. Contributors often grant broad, irreversible rights to their data, potentially exposing them to deepfakes, identity theft, and unauthorized commercial use. Experts warn that this practice is unstable, offers no career progression, and primarily benefits tech companies in wealthier nations, leaving workers vulnerable with little recourse. Cases like an actor discovering his AI likeness promoting medical products without consent highlight the ethical and personal consequences of this emerging data-for-cash economy.
marsbit03/23 05:56
