The job requires the capability to recognize, express, and shift between emotions authentically and humanely.
If you possess strong creative instincts, can genuinely portray emotions, and maintain character consistency, a job listing seeks your skills. However, this role isn’t in a traditional performance setting like a theater or film studio. Instead, you’d help train an AI model for a prominent AI company, as advertised by Handshake. This company supplies training data to entities like OpenAI and other labs.
Handshake AI, among a few similar companies, aims to provide specialized training data for AI models. These models can excel at complex tasks but struggle with simpler ones, leading AI companies to use specialized data labeling. Handshake, Mercor, and Scale AI have adapted by hiring professionals from various sectors.
As reported by The Verge, Handshake’s need for training data tripled, prompting a $150 million run rate by November. They boast networks of numerous professionals across white-collar fields, although some express concern that their work might expedite career obsolescence.
Now, sketch comics, improv actors, and more are on AI labs’ radar. Handshake AI invites actors and improvisers to participate in a collaborative project. As per the job description, participants will improvise scenes and explore characters via video, guided by light prompts.
The role seeks individuals with acting or theater backgrounds, emphasizing the need to push LLMs’ understanding by teaching them human tone and emotions. Essential skills include emotional awareness and the ability to conduct grounded and fun interactions.
Handshake did not comment on the listing’s specifics. Recently, AI companies have embraced multimodal models capable of not just generating media but also engaging in voice interactions. After OpenAI trialed ChatGPT’s voice mode, it expanded this feature. Companies like Elon Musk’s xAI and Anthropic have also introduced voice capabilities.
Handshake’s listing mentions open-ended sessions where performers have ample creative freedom. It offers flexible, part-time tasks to complement auditions or rehearsals, with pay averaging $74 hourly. However, reports indicate pay might decrease after sign-up, and the flexible schedule often leads to competition for scarce tasks.
Discussions on Reddit’s r/improv community called the Handshake AI job “dystopian,” with users suggesting it trains AI for video creation or human conversation simulation. Some see this as a chance to revive live comedy, offering real, unpolished, face-to-face entertainment as an alternative to AI-generated content.