An Oxford PhD student and founder earned nearly $300,000 in a year training AI models part time at $200 an hour
Utkarsh Amitabh works about 3.5 hours a night as a freelance expert for micro1, breaking down business problems so AI models learn to answer them.
Subject: Utkarsh AmitabhPart-time freelance expert work training AI models, paid hourly plus project bonuses
Case Overview & Background
Utkarsh Amitabh is a UK-based author, lecturer, founder of the careers platform Network Capital and a PhD student at Oxford. In January 2025 the data labeling startup micro1 invited him into its network of experts who help train AI models. He took it on part time, working roughly 3.5 hours a night after his daughter goes to bed.
How AI Is Used
Step-by-Step Process
micro1 recruits domain experts; his background is engineering, philosophy and years of business development in cloud and AI.
He turns business problems into precise prompts that a model can work through.
He reviews responses for errors and explains where the model went wrong.
He works a few hours each night alongside his other roles.
Customer Acquisition & Distribution
Limitations, Risks & Failure Modes
What may not apply to you, and what could go wrong:
- Rates like this go to people with rare, deep expertise, not beginners
- Projects are confidential and depend on one company's demand
- The work is intellectually demanding and takes hours per problem
- Training AI on your expertise may change demand for that expertise later
Key Takeaways
- Expert AI training pays far more than general data labeling
- Breaking problems into precise, checkable parts is the core skill
- It can fit into a few evening hours alongside other work
Sources
CNBC Make It: 34-year-old entrepreneur earns $200 an hour from side gig training AI models
Note: Reported story by Tom Huddleston Jr. States the $200 hourly rate from a pay stub CNBC viewed and the nearly $300,000 total confirmed by a micro1 spokesman.
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