Ghost Work

February 25, 2019
This revealing economic ethnography from anthropologist Gray and computer scientist Suri, both of whom work for Microsoft, sympathetically tells the stories of “ghost workers” who assist computers in replicating human cognition. These workers sign on through clearinghouses such as Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to perform tasks—writing subtitles for videos, identifying offensive content or animal pictures—remotely and for very low pay. Lack of transparency about the workers’ existence, the authors argue, gives the impression that artificial intelligence alone is powering ride sharing apps, internet searches, and other contemporary conveniences. Gray and Suri, who traveled to interview and observe ghost workers in the U.S. and India, explain that ghost workers are a vulnerable labor force; they have no rights as employees and little recourse if they are wrongfully fired or go unpaid. Yet the authors find that the anonymity and flexibility is a boon to some, such as female and disabled laborers who would otherwise face discrimination, and caregivers who need flexibility. To combat exploitation, Gray and Suri call for benefits for workers, unions, and new clearinghouses that allow for human communication between employer and employee. This compassionate and informative study is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of work.