AI Side Hustles
Business Model

Get Paid to Train AI

People who earn by doing AI training tasks: rating and correcting chatbot answers, writing examples, and checking model output in their area of expertise. Pay in the cases is hourly and depends on the platform and the expertise required. Figures below are computed from the cases listed on this page and are what each source reports, not typical results.

Part-time work rating chatbot answers and writing training data for AI companies.

Outlier logo in black on a soft blue to pink gradient.
A laptop showing revenue charts on a desk beside an open notebook and coffee
A laptop showing revenue charts on a desk beside an open notebook and coffee
Startup Cost in Our Cases
None in the one case that discloses a cost
Time to First Revenue in Our Cases
About three weeks after applying, including onboarding, in the one case that says
Published Cases
4 Published
Independently Documented
3 of 4

Strengths Seen in Our Cases

  • No upfront cost and no product to build
  • Can be done in spare hours from home
  • Subject experts are paid higher hourly rates

Known Risks

  • Work availability can stop without notice
  • Pay rates and task volume vary by project
  • It is task work, not a business you own
Gallery

Images and videos from Get Paid to Train AI cases

Outlier logo in black on a soft blue to pink gradient.Image: Outlier
Ryan Adams

How the model works

General guidance

AI companies hire people through training platforms to rate chatbot answers, write examples and check model output.

Applicants usually take an assessment, then pick up tasks when they are available.

People with expertise in subjects such as math, law or medicine are offered higher-paid tasks.

How it earns

General guidance

Hourly or per-task pay from the platform.

Income depends on how much work is available, which can change at any time.

General guidance is our editorial summary and contains no figures. Every number on this page comes from a linked case.

Reported results

What the cases report, and how well it is backed up

Figures are as reported by each source, for different periods and metrics. They are not typical results. How we label evidence.

Case Studies

Get Paid to Train AI Cases

4 case studies
Outlier logo in black on a soft blue to pink gradient.
Image: Outlier
November 2025
1 source

A nonprofit worker earned about $31,000 in 18 months doing AI training tasks on Outlier after hours

Ryan Adams

Ryan Adams, who works full-time at a health and environmental nonprofit in Virginia, found Outlier through a Google search while trying to learn about AI. Over about a year and a half he worked on about 30 projects, including training video chat models and voice recording, and earned about $31,000.

Read original source
Reported figure
About $31,000 total(revenue)
Evidence levelPartially Verified
Tools:none named in the source
Inspect Case
A laptop showing revenue charts on a desk beside an open notebook and coffee
April 25, 2025
1 source

A single mom in Texas made nearly $8,000 in under three weeks rating chatbot answers after her real estate job

Amanda Overcash

Amanda Overcash works in real estate by day. At night and early in the morning she does AI training work from her kitchen table: reviewing chatbot answers, transcribing voice clips and rating social media ads for platforms that supply data to AI companies. On one chatbot evaluation project her rate rose from $22 to $40 an hour, and she earned nearly $8,000 in under three weeks.

Read original source
Reported figure
Nearly $8,000 in under three weeks(revenue)
Evidence levelIndependently Documented
Tools:none named in the source
Inspect Case
A laptop showing revenue charts on a desk beside an open notebook and coffee
December 19, 2025
1 source

An Oxford PhD student and founder earned nearly $300,000 in a year training AI models part time at $200 an hour

Utkarsh Amitabh

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.

Read original source
Reported figure
Nearly $300,000 since January 2025, at $200 an hour(revenue)
Evidence levelIndependently Documented
Tools:none named in the source
Inspect Case
A laptop showing revenue charts on a desk beside an open notebook and coffee
August 30, 2026
1 source

A job seeker who started AI training at $15 an hour now earns $100 an hour

Mo Zohourian

Mo Zohourian had 15 years of sales and entrepreneurship experience but could not get hired after moving to Canada in 2023. He took a $15-an-hour AI training gig from a LinkedIn ad, reached $30 an hour after about three months, and now earns $100 an hour as a sales-management specialist. He also consults for small businesses and founded Annotation Academy.

Read original source
Reported figure
$100/hour(revenue)
Evidence levelIndependently Documented
Tools:none named in the source
Inspect Case
Startup costs

What the cases say they spent

The other 3 sources do not disclose a startup cost.

Risks

Challenges reported in these cases

FAQ

Get Paid to Train AI: common questions

How much do people make with Get Paid to Train AI and AI?

Fewer than two of our 4 sourced cases report a monthly figure, so we do not give a range yet. Each case page shows the figure exactly as its source states it.

How much does it cost to start?

None in the one case that discloses a cost. 1 of 4 cases disclose a startup cost.

How long until the first dollar?

About three weeks after applying, including onboarding, in the one case that says. This comes from what our cases report.

How reliable are these income figures?

3 of 4 cases are independently documented, meaning a news outlet says it reviewed records. 0 are self-reported. Every case links its source.

What are the main risks?

Work availability can stop without notice. Pay rates and task volume vary by project. It is task work, not a business you own.

How many of these cases say when they made their first dollar?

1 of 4 cases state a time to first revenue. For example: Ryan Adams: "About three weeks after applying, following onboarding and training". The rest do not say, so treat any single timeline as one example, not a norm.

What went wrong or held these cases back?

4 of 4 cases list limitations or risks drawn from their sources. Examples: Ryan Adams: There is no job security and projects can end suddenly; Amanda Overcash: The $8,000 came from one demanding project with up to 16 hour days; Utkarsh Amitabh: Rates like this go to people with rare, deep expertise, not beginners. Each case page lists them in full.

Do I have to report this income to the IRS if I never get a 1099-K?

Yes. The IRS says that whether or not you receive a Form 1099-K, you must report all income from selling goods or services on your tax return. Payment apps and online marketplaces must send a 1099-K when payments for goods or services total over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions, but they may send one for lower amounts. Source: IRS, "Understanding your Form 1099-K" (irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-k), checked 2026-10-20. General information, not tax advice.

Do I owe self-employment tax on side hustle income in the US?

According to the IRS, you must pay self-employment tax and file Schedule SE if your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. The rate is 15.3% (12.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare), and you may need to pay estimated taxes quarterly. Source: IRS, "Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)" (irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes), checked 2026-10-20. General information, not tax advice.

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