The Invisible Human Workforce Behind AI

About this episode

This episode discusses the invisible human workforce behind AI and the need for global standards in AI supply chains.

S2E3: This episode pulls back the curtain on the often-invisible human workforce powering AI, from content moderation to data labelling, exploring why global standards in AI supply chains must be enforced to protect worker safety. Veena McCoole talks with researchers Ashly Jiju and Ayca Ergin from the Fairwork Project at the Oxford Internet Institute. With new EU regulations like the AI Act on the horizon, the researchers share Fairwork’s response to readying companies to face this scrutiny: a research-backed audit and certification process designed to help organizations ethically build their AI. Links: Fairwork Project: https://fair.work/en/fw/homepage/ Ashly Jiju: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/ashly-jiju/ Ayca Ergin: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/ayca-deniz-ergin/

People in this episode

Host: Veena McCoole

Guests: Ashly Jiju, Ayca Ergin

Topics covered

• AI workforce
• content moderation
• data labeling
• worker safety
• EU regulations
• ethical AI

Keywords

• AI
• human workforce
• content moderation
• data labeling
• worker safety
• EU regulations
• Fairwork Project

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fairwork Project, Oxford Internet Institute, EU

Books & works: AI Act

More episodes of The Human Interface: An OII Podcast

• What is the role of humans in the age of AI? · February 18, 2026 · 38 min
• How streaming affects musicians, and what they can do about it · January 22, 2026 · 31 min
• The science behind successful start-ups, with Fabian Braesemann and Paul McCarthy · April 24, 2025 · 35 min
• How Can AI Be Deployed Ethically in the Defence Sector? With Professor Mariarosaria Taddeo and Sir Chris Deverell · March 24, 2025 · 50 min
• Why social media is the new frontier for misinformation, and what we can do about it: Professor Mohsen Mosleh and Cameron Martel · March 12, 2025 · 25 min
• How AI is being regulated: Professors Sandra Wachter and Brent Mittelstadt · February 13, 2025 · 43 min