This $10B startup is hiring contractors to train AI systems

Business Jan 12, 2026

Mercor, a $10 billion AI startup, is hiring thousands of contractors to help train its AI by giving feedback on how it performs in areas like law and the creative arts.
Some gigs pay really well—dermatologists can earn up to $250 an hour.
In 2025 alone, Mercor brought on over 30,000 contractors and had OpenAI as a client.

Why this matters

With unemployment rising last November, these jobs are offering a financial lifeline for many.
Still, there are some real concerns: workers like Katie Williams and Peter Valdes-Dapena point out the irony of training AI that might one day replace them.
Others, like Laura Kittel, question Mercor's intellectual property rules.
Even so, most agree that working with AI feels pretty much unavoidable now.