Telangana's roads and delivery apps went quiet as nearly 4 lakh gig workers logged off in a massive 12-hour flash strike. Cab drivers, auto drivers, and delivery partners from Ola, Uber, Rapido, Swiggy, Zomato, and Zepto joined hands demanding fair fares, timely payments, and long-overdue social security. Union leaders have now issued a stern warning: if the government and platform companies keep ignoring their demands, an indefinite statewide strike will begin after August 8


Telangana gig workers erupt: Nearly 4 lakh gig workers observe 12-hour flash strike 

Every time a chatbot gives a polished answer or a humanoid robot demo goes viral, there's an invisible workforce behind it - and increasingly, a large part of that workforce is in India. For wages that can work out to just a couple of dollars an hour, Indian workers are doing the repetitive, unglamorous labour of labelling data, correcting AI outputs, and even acting out tasks on camera so robots can learn to mimic them.&nbsp;A Booming But Invisible Industry&nbsp;India's data annotation industry has grown explosively - from roughly $250 million in 2020-21 to a market expected to cross $7 billion by 2030. That growth is being driven almost entirely by demand from US AI labs, which need vast amounts of human-labelled data to train and fine-tune their models. The work itself is mundane: tagging images, transcribing audio, rating chatbot responses, and flagging errors - millions of small tasks that, stitched together, make large AI models usable.&nbsp;The Wage Gap Is Stark&nbsp;While American annotators working on similar tasks for the same companies have reportedly earned between $15 and $25 an hour, workers in India, Kenya, the Philippines and Venezuela doing comparable work have been paid as little as $1 to $3 an hour - a figure that, converted, lands in the range of roughly Rs 100 to Rs 250 an hour. Major US AI labs rarely hire these workers directly; instead, they go through specialist contracting platforms, which in turn route the work to whichever country offers the cheapest labour at any given time. If workers in one country push back on pay, the platforms simply shift the work elsewhere - keeping wages low and workers replaceable.&nbsp;Training The Robots That Could Replace Them&nbsp;Perhaps the most striking part of this story is the newest frontier: humanoid robots. Companies have begun hiring Indian workers - often in factory settings - to wear lightweight cameras and perform everyday tasks, generating ‘egocentric’ video data that is then used to teach robots how to do that same work. One such operation, Egolab.AI - whose India arm is based in Bengaluru - partners with factories across the country, including garment manufacturers, to collect this kind of footage from workers for robotics projects worldwide. In effect, some workers are now being paid small sums to record themselves doing the jobs that the resulting AI and robotics systems may eventually be used to automate.&nbsp;No Safety Net, Constant Surveillance&nbsp;Most of these workers are classified as independent contractors rather than employees, which means they fall outside standard protections like minimum wage enforcement, paid leave, or severance. India's existing labour laws, including the Code on Wages, were not designed for piece-rate, task-by-task digital work and struggle to regulate it. On top of low pay, workers describe intense surveillance - every click, keystroke and submission tracked - and a constant fear of being silently removed from a platform for a single mistake, with no manager or appeals process to turn to.&nbsp;The Bigger Picture&nbsp;AI companies in Silicon Valley are valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars, built in large part on the unglamorous, low-paid work happening in places like India. As India positions itself as a hub for the global AI economy - with government summits, mega data centre deals and ambitious adoption targets - this other side of the story rarely gets the same spotlight: a growing number of Indians whose daily work is to make foreign AI systems smarter, faster and more capable, often for a fraction of what the same work pays elsewhere in the world.

Indian workers are paid as little as Rs 100-250 an hour to label data and train AI and robots for US tech giants - often the same systems that could replace their jobs.

Every time a chatbot gives a polished answer or a humanoid robot demo goes viral, there's an invisible workforce behind it - and increasingly, a large part of that workforce is in India. For wages that can work out to just a couple of dollars an hour, Indian workers are doing the repetitive, unglamorous labour of labelling data, correcting AI outputs, and even acting out tasks on camera so robots can learn to mimic them. A Booming But Invisible Industry India's data annotation industry has grown explosively - from roughly $250 million in 2020-21 to a market expected to cross $7 billion by 2030. That growth is being driven almost entirely by demand from US AI labs, which need vast amounts of human-labelled data to train and fine-tune their models. The work itself is mundane: tagging images, transcribing audio, rating chatbot responses, and flagging errors - millions of small tasks that, stitched together, make large AI models usable. The Wage Gap Is Stark While American annotators working on similar tasks for the same companies have reportedly earned between $15 and $25 an hour, workers in India, Kenya, the Philippines and Venezuela doing comparable work have been paid as little as $1 to $3 an hour - a figure that, converted, lands in the range of roughly Rs 100 to Rs 250 an hour. Major US AI labs rarely hire these workers directly; instead, they go through specialist contracting platforms, which in turn route the work to whichever country offers the cheapest labour at any given time. If workers in one country push back on pay, the platforms simply shift the work elsewhere - keeping wages low and workers replaceable. Training The Robots That Could Replace Them Perhaps the most striking part of this story is the newest frontier: humanoid robots. Companies have begun hiring Indian workers - often in factory settings - to wear lightweight cameras and perform everyday tasks, generating ‘egocentric’ video data that is then used to teach robots how to do that same work. One such operation, Egolab.AI - whose India arm is based in Bengaluru - partners with factories across the country, including garment manufacturers, to collect this kind of footage from workers for robotics projects worldwide. In effect, some workers are now being paid small sums to record themselves doing the jobs that the resulting AI and robotics systems may eventually be used to automate. No Safety Net, Constant Surveillance Most of these workers are classified as independent contractors rather than employees, which means they fall outside standard protections like minimum wage enforcement, paid leave, or severance. India's existing labour laws, including the Code on Wages, were not designed for piece-rate, task-by-task digital work and struggle to regulate it. On top of low pay, workers describe intense surveillance - every click, keystroke and submission tracked - and a constant fear of being silently removed from a platform for a single mistake, with no manager or appeals process to turn to. The Bigger Picture AI companies in Silicon Valley are valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars, built in large part on the unglamorous, low-paid work happening in places like India. As India positions itself as a hub for the global AI economy - with government summits, mega data centre deals and ambitious adoption targets - this other side of the story rarely gets the same spotlight: a growing number of Indians whose daily work is to make foreign AI systems smarter, faster and more capable, often for a fraction of what the same work pays elsewhere in the world.

Behind every chatbot and humanoid robot demo is an invisible workforce and a huge share of it is in India. Indian workers are labelling data and training AI systems for American tech giants, often the very systems that could one day take their jobs.

'For Rs 250 per hour': How Indians are selling their future to American AI companies

App-based cab drivers affiliated with gig unions have launched a nationwide strike across India, impacting services of Ola, Uber and Rapido. Unions are demanding regulatory oversight on cab pricing and have warned of repeated agitations if their concerns are not addressed.


India: App-Based Cab Drivers Strike Across India Over Cab Pricing

India’s food and quick-commerce economy ran into a speed bump on new year’s eve as gig workers across platforms staged protests demanding higher pay. The protests were held in multiple cities and coincided with one of the busiest nights of the year for delivery platforms.

India's New Year Celebrations & Gig Workers Paradox

The Chinese internet is flooded with videos and posts about protests that took place this week after a delivery driver was made to kneel in front of security guards. Some reports said it was a female rider, but that could not be verified as the person had a helmet and mask on.

Incidentally, the whole episode happened as a Chinese movie about the life of gig workers becoming a big hit in the country.

The incident that took place in the eastern city of Hangzhou exposed chinks in the Chinese gig worker economy, where delivery drivers for apps are made to work long hours for poor pay, and virtually no medical or social protections.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/foreign-investors-withdraw-record-amounts-from-china-in-june-quarter-749772">Foreign investors withdraw record amounts from China in June quarter</a>

<h2>What happened with the delivery driver in China?</h2>

The incident happened on Monday (Aug 12) when the delivery driver was caught by security guards, apparently after damaging a fence of a compound while delivering a food order.

The driver was held back by the security guards, who asked for payment for the damaged fence.

The rider kneeled before the guards, pleading to be allowed to go as other deliveries were getting delayed, according to local police.&nbsp;

Other delivery drivers in the area gathered, demanding the release of their fellow driver.

The whole thing was caught on camera.

Watch it here: 
 
Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of content shared on social media

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On August 12th in Hangzhou, China, a food delivery worker was forced to kneel, which triggered widespread dissatisfaction among delivery workers in the area, leading to a protest event. <a href="https://t.co/66Ly94UqPM">pic.twitter.com/66Ly94UqPM</a>
— Real video from China. (@cz8921469_z) <a href="https://twitter.com/cz8921469_z/status/1823183253613814267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Soon, the episode snowballed into a larger protest in the city, with scores of gig workers taking to the streets and shouting slogans like 'apologise'.

<h2>China gig worker kneeling incident sparks online discussion</h2>

The incident led to a major discussion on China's much-censored internet on the economic woes of workers, and the rise in protests against President Xi Jinping's regime.&nbsp;

Also read&nbsp;: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/navigating-chinas-economic-crossroads-challenges-and-opportunities-ahead-737301">Navigating China's economic crossroads: challenges and opportunities ahead</a> 
 
"A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan," wrote Jennifer Zeng on X.

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A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan. 
 
Hundreds of fellow delivery workers gathered to support her. 
 
In China's current economic downturn, the survival conditions… <a href="https://t.co/VtRl1YUOgA">pic.twitter.com/VtRl1YUOgA</a>
— Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferzeng97) <a href="https://twitter.com/jenniferzeng97/status/1823031323843272885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Another X user with the handle @DeepChinaDive wrote: "Bottled-up anger finally erupts. Delivery workers' protest reveals deeper issues: economic pressure, harsh working conditions, power imbalances. Is this just the beginning? Social tensions have been brewing for a while. More to come?"

One of the X users pointed out that amid the current economic downturn, delivery workers are facing tough living conditions.

They are forced to work desperately to ensure timely deliveries amid intense competition.

"They are also often bullied by the police or security guards. &nbsp;As a result, their resentment has been building up for a long time," wrote the social media user.

Watch: China grapples with ageing population, 94 million workers above the age of 60

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-grapples-with-ageing-population-94-million-workers-above-the-age-of-60-719953/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<h2>Upstream, a Chinese film on gig worker life, is a top hit</h2>

The incident happened around the same time as Upstream, a Chinese film on the lives of gig workers, has emerged as a top hit.

Upstream tackles several of China's biggest economic pain points, an uncertain job market, downward mobility and the hardscrabble life of millions working gig jobs, Reuters said in a report.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Chinese internet is flooded with videos and posts about protests that took place this week after a delivery driver was made to kneel in front of security guards.

The Chinese internet is flooded with videos and posts about protests that took place this week after a delivery driver was made to kneel in front of security guards. Some reports said it was a female rider, but that could not be verified as the person had a helmet and mask on. Incidentally, the whole episode happened as a Chinese movie about the life of gig workers becoming a big hit in the country. The incident that took place in the eastern city of Hangzhou exposed chinks in the Chinese gig worker economy, where delivery drivers for apps are made to work long hours for poor pay, and virtually no medical or social protections. Also Read: Foreign investors withdraw record amounts from China in June quarter What happened with the delivery driver in China? The incident happened on Monday (Aug 12) when the delivery driver was caught by security guards, apparently after damaging a fence of a compound while delivering a food order. The driver was held back by the security guards, who asked for payment for the damaged fence. The rider kneeled before the guards, pleading to be allowed to go as other deliveries were getting delayed, according to local police. Other delivery drivers in the area gathered, demanding the release of their fellow driver. The whole thing was caught on camera. Watch it here: Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of content shared on social media On August 12th in Hangzhou, China, a food delivery worker was forced to kneel, which triggered widespread dissatisfaction among delivery workers in the area, leading to a protest event. pic.twitter.com/66Ly94UqPM — Real video from China. (@cz8921469_z) August 13, 2024 × Soon, the episode snowballed into a larger protest in the city, with scores of gig workers taking to the streets and shouting slogans like 'apologise'. China gig worker kneeling incident sparks online discussion The incident led to a major discussion on China's much-censored internet on the economic woes of workers, and the rise in protests against President Xi Jinping's regime. Also read : Navigating China's economic crossroads: challenges and opportunities ahead "A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan," wrote Jennifer Zeng on X. A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan. Hundreds of fellow delivery workers gathered to support her. In China's current economic downturn, the survival conditions… pic.twitter.com/VtRl1YUOgA — Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferzeng97) August 12, 2024 × Another X user with the handle @DeepChinaDive wrote: "Bottled-up anger finally erupts. Delivery workers' protest reveals deeper issues: economic pressure, harsh working conditions, power imbalances. Is this just the beginning? Social tensions have been brewing for a while. More to come?" One of the X users pointed out that amid the current economic downturn, delivery workers are facing tough living conditions. They are forced to work desperately to ensure timely deliveries amid intense competition. "They are also often bullied by the police or security guards. As a result, their resentment has been building up for a long time," wrote the social media user. Watch: China grapples with ageing population, 94 million workers above the age of 60 × Upstream, a Chinese film on gig worker life, is a top hit The incident happened around the same time as Upstream, a Chinese film on the lives of gig workers, has emerged as a top hit. Upstream tackles several of China's biggest economic pain points, an uncertain job market, downward mobility and the hardscrabble life of millions working gig jobs, Reuters said in a report. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Massive protests in China after delivery driver made to kneel for this reason

India has a thriving digital economy, and powering this ambitious vision is a class of workers who have become an important voter base when India polls for its next government. So, what are the demands of this new digital native group? That's what this report decodes...

Indian elections 2024: Gig workers seek better income & social security

Tech giant&nbsp;Infosys finally came up with a clear guideline regarding employees ‘moonlighting’ or taking up ‘gig’ jobs. According to the latest advisory published by the company, employees will be allowed to take jobs on the side after getting proper permission from their managers. It further stated that the jobs cannot compete with the company and its clients in any way or pose a “conflict of interest”.&nbsp;

"Any employee, who wishes to take up gig work, may do so, with the prior consent of their manager and BP-HR, and in their personal time, for establishments that do not compete with Infosys or Infosys' clients," Infosys wrote in an internal communication which was accessed by PTI.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-barred-from-holding-public-office-by-pakistan-election-commission-527352" hreflang="en">Imran Khan disqualified from running for public office for five years</a>

"In addition, as per Infosys employment contract, employees may not work in areas when there is an actual or potential conflict of interest or by accepting dual employment," the e-mail added.&nbsp;

The issue of ‘moonlighting’ by employees in the tech industry became a massive issue after Infosys made it clear that they were in favour of the practice. While presenting the Q2 earnings, Infosys also said that they fired several employees in the last year for “dual employment”.&nbsp;

However, with the attrition rate at one of the lowest and employees expressing their displeasure at the announcement, the company has considerably softened its stance on the issue.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blasts-reported-from-ukraines-kharkiv-zaporizhzhia-no-casualties-reported-yet-527295">Moscow says Ukrainian shelling killed four during Kherson evacuations</a>

&nbsp;Infosys also asked the employees to use the company platform to find “gig” jobs.&nbsp;

"Accelerate allows skill-based job matches to recommend the right gigs for employees and incentivise both gig workers and hiring managers. The platform, over the years, has been helping in create richer job variety and more immersive learning for Infoscions," it said.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Tech giant Infosys finally came up with a clear guideline regarding employees ‘moonlighting’ or taking up ‘gig’ jobs. According to the latest advisory published by the company, employees will be allowed to take jobs on the side after getting proper permission from their managers.

Tech giant Infosys finally came up with a clear guideline regarding employees ‘moonlighting’ or taking up ‘gig’ jobs. According to the latest advisory published by the company, employees will be allowed to take jobs on the side after getting proper permission from their managers. It further stated that the jobs cannot compete with the company and its clients in any way or pose a “conflict of interest”. "Any employee, who wishes to take up gig work, may do so, with the prior consent of their manager and BP-HR, and in their personal time, for establishments that do not compete with Infosys or Infosys' clients," Infosys wrote in an internal communication which was accessed by PTI. Also read | Imran Khan disqualified from running for public office for five years "In addition, as per Infosys employment contract, employees may not work in areas when there is an actual or potential conflict of interest or by accepting dual employment," the e-mail added. The issue of ‘moonlighting’ by employees in the tech industry became a massive issue after Infosys made it clear that they were in favour of the practice. While presenting the Q2 earnings, Infosys also said that they fired several employees in the last year for “dual employment”. However, with the attrition rate at one of the lowest and employees expressing their displeasure at the announcement, the company has considerably softened its stance on the issue. Also read | Moscow says Ukrainian shelling killed four during Kherson evacuations Infosys also asked the employees to use the company platform to find “gig” jobs. "Accelerate allows skill-based job matches to recommend the right gigs for employees and incentivise both gig workers and hiring managers. The platform, over the years, has been helping in create richer job variety and more immersive learning for Infoscions," it said.

Infosys allows moonlighting by employees after prior permission from managers, no conflict

The Biden administration is proposing a new labor rule that could classify millions of gig workers in thr United States as employees rather than independent contractors.

World Business Watch: Labor Department proposal may lead to US gig workers gaining employee status

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