Ieri sera era la partita più attesa. A Gaza City il nostro GaSH ha offerto la possibilità di seguirla anche dalla strada con casse audio, per evitare che lo spazio diventasse una scatola di sardine. Di seguito il racconto di Ali che gestisce il posto: > ” The number exceeded 250 people, we used loudspeakers and the audience > extended to the opposite side of the road.. > > The atmosphere was incredibly electric, especially after the first goal, then > the disallowed goal, and then the second. The ground seemed to tremble with > the crowd’s excitement. The excitement only intensified as time progressed, > until Argentina scored their first goal, at which point the tension began to > rise. > > After the second goal, the stadium erupted in excitement, then calmed down. > Then came the third goal, and the crowd’s anger intensified dramatically; they > became extremely agitated, with some even leaving before the match officially > ended. But when the referee disallowed Egypt’s last clear goal and the penalty > kick, everyone understood it was a deliberate act to eliminate Egypt from the > World Cup. They all left disappointed and deeply saddened, to the point that > only two people attended the Switzerland match. > > Egypt would have eliminated Argentina were it not for FIFA’s intervention and > the referee’s bias towards Argentina. > > A cruel and unjust world. > > What happened today wasn’t just a match. The referee’s performance and > decisions, along with everything we saw, confirm that Egypt wasn’t just facing > Argentina. > > For me, what happened reflects a clear double standard, and Egypt paid the > price for its supportive stance towards Palestine. > > Egypt didn’t lose the World Cup… the World Cup lost Egypt. 🇪🇬”

DiPLab is proud to announce the publication of our latest research report: Data Work in Egypt: Who Are the Workers Behind Artificial Intelligence? This new study, led by Dr. Myriam Raymond with Lucy Neveux, Prof. Antonio A. Casilli, and Dr. Paola Tubaro, provides the first comprehensive examination of Egyptian data workers training AI systems for tech giants worldwide. How to cite this report: > Myriam Raymond, Lucy Neveux, Antonio A. Casilli, Paola Tubaro (2025). “Data > Work in Egypt. Who are the Workers Behind Artificial Intelligence”. DiPLab > Report. <https://hal.science/hal-05417930> > > Tweet Rapport DiPLab Egypte-DefcDownload KEY FINDINGS AT A GLANCE Our survey of over 600 Egyptian platform workers reveals a troubling reality: * Three-quarters depend on platform income to pay their bills * Average monthly earnings: $58.76 (less than half Egypt’s minimum wage of $147) * Hourly rate: $1.22 (compared to global average of $4.43 in 2018) * 76% identify as men, 74% are between 18-34 years old * 60% hold bachelor’s degrees in science or technical fields * 83% work on platforms out of financial necessity Both male and female data workers tend to be younger than the general Egyptian workforce A WORKFORCE IN CRISIS While Silicon Valley celebrates AI breakthroughs, our research exposes the human cost behind these innovations. Egyptian workers perform essential tasks—labeling images, transcribing audio, evaluating content, annotating data—that train machine learning models used globally. Yet they earn poverty wages for skilled work requiring technical knowledge and multilingual literacy. “We were struck by the contradiction,” says lead researcher Dr. Myriam Raymond. “These are highly educated individuals—60% hold bachelor’s degrees in science or technical fields—yet they’re earning $1.22 per hour on average, working for global tech companies that profit enormously from their labor.” Our data reveals severe income volatility. Rather than providing stable supplemental income, platform work traps Egyptian workers in a cycle of precarity: Most workers experience volatile or extremely volatile income, with earnings fluctuating dramatically month to month When we asked how workers used their last month’s platform earnings, the results were stark: the overwhelming majority spent their income immediately on rent, food, and clothes. Only a tiny fraction had the financial security to use earnings for hobbies or savings. Platform work serves as a lifeline rather than a source of financial flexibility CONDITIONS WORSE THAN SEVEN YEARS AGO Comparing our findings with the International Labor Organization’s 2018 global study reveals a disturbing trend: conditions for data workers have deteriorated significantly. * Increased education requirements: 70% now hold bachelor’s degrees vs. 57% globally in 2018 * Hourly rates dropped 72%: from $4.43 (2018 global average) to $1.22 (Egypt 2025) * Workforce demographic shift: from married adults with children to precarious single young people OUR RECOMMENDATIONS DiPLab’s report concludes with actionable policy recommendations: For Governments: * Improve measurement of data work in official statistics * Promote financial inclusion for platform workers * Simplify activity registration to encourage formalization * Ensure social security coverage For Platforms: * Implement transparent payment systems with minimum wage requirements * Disclose task allocation criteria clearly * Establish fair conflict resolution mechanisms * Provide dedicated worker support