Two new academic articles on AI published by DiPLab!We share the exciting news of two new papers that were published last month,
concerning parts of the extensive research DiPLab conducts on the networks of
production of AI
The first paper is titled “Where does AI come from? A global case study across
Europe, Africa, and Latin America” (by P. Tubaro, A.A. Casilli, M. Cornet, C. le
Ludec and J. Torres Cierpe), appears in New Political Economy’s special issue on
power in the digital economy. It examines AI supply chains, focusing on how and
where companies recruit workers for data annotation and other essential tasks.
While the organisation of AI data work varies, the reasons for these differences
and the ways it dovetails with local economies were underexplored. This article
clarifies these supply chains’ structures, highlighting their impacts on labour
conditions and remunerations.
Framing AI as an instance of well-known outsourcing and offshoring trends,
analysis of AI data work in France, Madagascar, and Venezuela, highlights two
main models: marketplace-like contracts and firm-like structures, with hybrid
arrangements in between. Each model suits different AI tasks but all reproduce
well-known patterns of exclusion that harm externalised workers especially in
the Global South. We argue that worker reclassification alone is insufficient
and advocate for a broader policy mix, including regulation of technology and
development strategies at national and supra-national levels.
You may find an open access version of the preprint of the paper here
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The second paper is titled “The digital labour of artificial intelligence in
Latin America: a comparison of Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela” (by P. Tubaro,
A.A. Casilli, M. Fernández Massi, J. Longo, J. Torres Cierpe and M. Viana Braz)
appears in Globalizations’ special issue on AI in Latin America. It sheds light
on the precarious, low-paid data workers supporting AI production in the region,
often for foreign firms. Mixed-method data support a comparison of Argentina,
Brazil, and Venezuela to reveal common patterns and regional differences. The
analysis supports the conclusion that Latin America plays a key role in AI data
work, with companies exploiting economic hardship to cut costs. In Venezuela and
Argentina, crisis conditions foster an ‘elite’ of young, STEM-educated workers,
while in Brazil, this work is done by lower-income groups. In all three
countries, AI data work also blends with the informal economy, reinforcing
inequality in this way. These findings call for more attention to AI labour
conditions and advocate for policies to recognise data workers’ skills and
support their career development, potentially enabling worker organisation.
You may find an open access version of the preprint of the paper here