AI Training
The short answer: AI training, giving human feedback to AI models, pays $15 to $25 an hour by Side Hustle Nation's recollection and around $90 an hour for a writer Chris Koerner spoke to. The catch, per PaidFromSurveys (Mike) reviewing Meridial, is that many roles need a degree and some projects need unpaid hour-long verifications. (Side Hustle Nation; PaidFromSurveys) Mike calls Meridial worth a look if you have the right skills. (PaidFromSurveys)
| Reported earnings | $8–$90/hr 2 reports by 2 creators, Sep 2026 |
|---|
From 4 quotes by 3 creators. A creator figure is one person's account.
Go deeper: every source on ai training
How much does AI training pay per hour?
AI training pay on Meridial varies widely, with one example Mike gave listing $8-$65/hour. Mike says those listed ranges depend heavily on country and skills. (PaidFromSurveys)
Side Hustle Nation gave its figure for one type of task and hedged it with "I think." (Side Hustle Nation)
What do people doing ai training say?
“they are paying I think it was kind of you know $15 to $25 an hour for this uh type of task.”
“I know I just talked to a writer who does that every once in a while and they're paying 90 an hour around that.”
“it says that you can set your own schedule, choose your projects”
“you need a bachelor's, master's, or PhD in computer science or closely related technical field”
What does it cost to start ai training?
Not enough evidence yet: No source we track states a startup cost yet.
- Join Meridial with a verified phone number and address. (PaidFromSurveys)
- Compare its coding, generalist and language specialist roles.
- Check the degree each role asks for.
- Typical education: bachelors (PaidFromSurveys)
Who sets the hours in AI training work?
AI training hours on Meridial are advertised as yours to set: Mike said the platform "says that you can set your own schedule, choose your projects." (PaidFromSurveys)
Not enough evidence yet: No source we track says how long the first payout takes or how many hours it needs yet.
Who is AI training work best suited to?
In reviewing Meridial, Mike cited a requirement for a bachelor's, master's, or PhD in computer science or a closely related technical field, so AI training there suits people with that background. Anyone unwilling to give unpaid time should skip the Meridial projects that require an hour-long verification. (PaidFromSurveys)
Which platforms do people use for ai training?
Platforms people doing ai training use: Babel Audio, Clickworker, CrowdGen, Voices.
Is AI training worth it?
Pros
- Meridial's AI training work goes beyond coding: Mike's review also covers generalist and language specialist roles. (PaidFromSurveys)
- Meridial advertises a schedule you set yourself.
Cons
- The verifications some Meridial projects require are time you don't get paid for. (PaidFromSurveys)
- Joining Meridial means having your phone number and address verified.
What are the risks of AI training work?
AI training pay reports don't settle on one rate: the figures from Side Hustle Nation, Chris and Mike all differ. Because Mike says Meridial's listed ranges are wide, a listing's top rate is no promise of what you would be offered. (Side Hustle Nation; PaidFromSurveys)
What are the alternatives to ai training?
- Coaching and Mentorship: Also own schedule.
- Content Creator side hustle: Also own schedule.
- Transcriptions as a side hustle: Also in online and remote work.
- Tech Support side hustle: Also in online and remote work.
- Freelance Writing as a side hustle: Also in online and remote work.
What else should you know about AI training?
Can you talk publicly about AI training projects?
Mike says NDAs are common on Meridial, so expect limits on what you can share. (PaidFromSurveys)
Can you do AI training only occasionally?
At least one writer does, according to Chris, who said that writer does it every once in a while. (Chris Koerner)
Sources and method
Quotes are verbatim and linked to the moment they were said. A figure from one report is not confirmed by a second source. BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation. Every quote, the pay in each state and the full source list are on the every source on ai training.
- Side Hustle Nation, YouTube, 18 Sep 2026.
- Chris Koerner, YouTube, 24 Sep 2026.
- PaidFromSurveys (Mike), YouTube, 15 Oct 2026.