IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-04935984.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The digital labour of artificial intelligence in Latin America: a comparison of Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela

Author

Listed:
  • Paola Tubaro

    (CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, ENSAE Paris - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique, CREST - Centre de Recherche en Économie et Statistique - ENSAI - Ecole Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse de l'Information [Bruz] - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - ENSAE Paris - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris)

  • Antonio A. Casilli

    (NOS - Numérique, Organisation et Société - I3 SES - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation de Telecom Paris - Télécom Paris - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, SES - Département Sciences Economiques et Sociales - Télécom Paris - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris)

  • Mariana Fernández Massi

    (IdIHCS - Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales [La Plata] - CONICET - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] - FaHCE - Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación [La Plata] - UNLP - Universidad Nacional de la Plata [Argentine], CONICET - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires])

  • Julieta Longo

    (IdIHCS - Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales [La Plata] - CONICET - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] - FaHCE - Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación [La Plata] - UNLP - Universidad Nacional de la Plata [Argentine], CONICET - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires])

  • Juana Torres-Cierpe

    (Inria Siège - Inria - Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique)

  • Matheus Viana Braz

    (UEM - Universidade Estadual de Maringá [Brasil] = State University of Maringá [Brazil] = Université d'État de Maringá [Brésil])

Abstract

The current hype around artificial intelligence (AI) conceals the substantial human intervention underlying its development. This article lifts the veil on the precarious and low-paid ‘data workers' who prepare data to train, test, check, and otherwise support models in the shadow of globalized AI production. We use original questionnaire and interview data collected from 220 workers in Argentina (2021-22), 477 in Brazil (2023), and 214 in Venezuela (2021-22). We compare them to detect common patterns and reveal the specificities of data work in Latin America, while disclosing its role in AI production. We show that data work is intertwined with economic hardship, inequalities, and informality. Despite workers' high educational attainment, disadvantage is widespread, though with cross-country disparities. By acknowledging the interconnections between AI development, data work, and globalized production, we provide insights for the regulation of AI and the future of work, aiming to achieve positive outcomes for all stakeholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Paola Tubaro & Antonio A. Casilli & Mariana Fernández Massi & Julieta Longo & Juana Torres-Cierpe & Matheus Viana Braz, 2025. "The digital labour of artificial intelligence in Latin America: a comparison of Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela," Post-Print hal-04935984, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04935984
    DOI: 10.1080/14747731.2025.2465171
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-04935984v1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-04935984v1/document
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/14747731.2025.2465171?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paola Tubaro & Antonio A. Casilli & Marion Coville, 2020. "The trainer, the verifier, the imitator: Three ways in which human platform workers support artificial intelligence," Post-Print hal-02554196, HAL.
    2. Schmidt, Florian A., 2019. "Crowdproduktion von Trainingsdaten: Zur Rolle von Online-Arbeit beim Trainieren autonomer Fahrzeuge," Study / edition der Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, Düsseldorf, volume 127, number 417.
    3. Fabian Stephany & Otto Kassi & Uma Rani & Vili Lehdonvirta, 2021. "Online Labour Index 2020: New ways to measure the world's remote freelancing market," Papers 2105.09148, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2021.
    4. Datta, Namita & Rong, Chen & Singh, Sunamika & Stinshoff, Clara & Iacob, Nadina & Nigatu, Natnael Simachew & Nxumalo, Mpumelelo & Klimaviciute, Luka, 2023. "Working Without Borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work," Jobs Group Papers, Notes, and Guides 32573393, The World Bank.
    5. Grohmann, Rafael & Pereira, Gabriel & Guerra, Abel & Abilio, Ludmila Costhek & Moreschi, Bruno & Jurno, Amanda, 2022. "Platform scams: Brazilian workers’ experiences of dishonest and uncertain algorithmic management," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115622, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tubaro, Paola & Coville, Marion & Le Ludec, Clément & Casilli, Antonio A., 2022. "Hidden inequalities: The gendered labour of women on micro-tasking platforms," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 11(1), pages 1-26.
    2. Paola Tubaro & Antonio A Casilli & Maxime Cornet & Clément Le Ludec & Juana Torres Cierpe, 2025. "Where does AI come from? A global case study across Europe, Africa, and Latin America," Post-Print hal-04933816, HAL.
    3. Yang Shen, 2024. "Future jobs: analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence on employment and its mechanisms," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1-33, April.
    4. Grohmann, Rafael & Pereira, Gabriel & Guerra, Abel & Abilio, Ludmila Costhek & Moreschi, Bruno & Jurno, Amanda, 2022. "Platform scams: Brazilian workers’ experiences of dishonest and uncertain algorithmic management," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115622, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Paola Tubaro & Antonio A Casilli, 2024. "Who bears the burden of a pandemic? COVID-19 and the transfer of risk to digital platform workers," Post-Print hal-03369291, HAL.
    6. Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Santangelo, Giulia, 2025. "Are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skills a Reward or a Gamble? Deconstructing the AI Wage Premium in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 17607, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Nwaobi, Godwin, 2024. "Gig Sector in the African Economy: Frameworks, Challenges and Prospects," MPRA Paper 120532, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Newlands, Gemma & Lutz, Christoph, 2024. "Mapping the prestige and social value of occupations in the digital economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    9. Antonio A. Casilli & Paola Tubaro & Clément Le Ludec & Marion Coville & Maxime Besenval & Touhfat Mouhtare & Elinor Wahal, 2019. "Micro-work in France. Behind Automation, New Forms of Precarious Labour? [Le Micro-Travail en France. Derrière l'automatisation, de nouvelles précarités au travail ?]," Working Papers hal-02139528, HAL.
    10. Paola Tubaro, 2022. "Learners in the loop: hidden human skills in machine intelligence," Post-Print hal-03787017, HAL.
    11. Gomez-Herrera, Estrella & Mueller-Langer, Frank, 2024. "Does information disclosure affect the gender gap in bidding behavior? Empirical evidence from a natural experiment on a large online labor platform," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    12. Evan Hurwitz & George Cevora, 2021. "Forecasting performance of workforce reskilling programmes," Papers 2107.10001, arXiv.org.
    13. Saara Hämäläinen & Vaiva Petrikaitė, 2024. "Prediction algorithms in matching platforms," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 78(3), pages 979-1020, November.
    14. Plantin, Jean-Christophe, 2021. "The data archive as factory: alienation and resistance of data processors," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 109692, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    15. Paola Tubaro & Antonio A. Casilli, 2019. "Micro-work, artificial intelligence and the automotive industry," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 46(3), pages 333-345, September.
    16. Stephany, Fabian & Teutloff, Ole & Lehdonvirta, Vili, 2022. "What is the price of a skill? Revealing the complementary value of skills," MPRA Paper 114874, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Brooke, Sian & Rao, Aliya, 2024. "Designing for justice in freelancing: testing platform interventions to minimise discrimination in online labour markets," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122152, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    18. Nicholas Martindale & Alex J. Wood & Brendan J. Burchell, 2024. "What do platform workers in the UK gig economy want?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 62(3), pages 542-567, September.
    19. Paola Tubaro & Antonio A. Casilli & Marion Coville, 2020. "The trainer, the verifier, the imitator: Three ways in which human platform workers support artificial intelligence," Post-Print hal-02554196, HAL.
    20. Zhang, Zhuo, 2023. "The impact of the artificial intelligence industry on the number and structure of employments in the digital economy environment," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04935984. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.