AI model training needs are changing, with subject experts pushing aside generalist data labelers

"As AI systems grow more capable, the bar for human training has risen sharply, and generalist data labelers are being pushed aside. That's according to HireArt's 2025 AI Trainer Compensation Report, which collected information from more than 150 sources, including a survey of active workers, public job postings, and internal data. The study shows that today's AI models demand nuanced reasoning, domain expertise, and multilingual fluency, transforming "data labeling" into specialized cognitive work."

"Entry-level, generalist AI model trainers earn $12.50 to $15.50 in the US, while highly skilled expert AI trainers can make more than $100 an hour, depending on the subject, according to the data compiled by HireArt. In the medical field, top experts can make $60 to over $180 an hour. In engineering and law, hourly pay ranges from $80 to more than $150, HireArt data shows."

Data compiled from more than 150 sources, including a survey of active workers, public job postings, and internal data, indicates that today's AI models demand nuanced reasoning, domain expertise, and multilingual fluency, elevating training tasks into specialized cognitive work. Generalist data labelers are being displaced as companies hire subject-matter experts for model tuning, safety, and trustworthiness. Entry-level generalist AI model trainers earn $12.50 to $15.50 per hour in the US. Highly skilled expert trainers often earn over $100 per hour. Medical experts earn $60–$180+ per hour; engineering and law experts earn $80–$150+ per hour. The industry is shifting toward high-skill trainers.

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