# Workers train robots that could steal their jobs > Factory workers in India wear GoPros to train AI robots for jobs they might lose. - Title: Workers train robots that could steal their jobs · NPR - Summary: Factory workers in India wear GoPros to train AI robots for jobs they might lose. Indian textile workers record themselves using GoPros to train AI robots… - Keywords: india, go pro, textile workers, robot training, karur, objectways, ravi shankar, sneha jegadish, kannagi periyasaamy, news, Workers, train - Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/10/14/g-s1-146907/these-workers-help-train-robots-who-could-one-day-steal-their-jobs - Published: 2026-10-14T00:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: india, go pro, ai, textile workers, robot training, karur, objectways, ravi shankar, sneha jegadish, kannagi periyasaamy, news ## Factory workers wear GoPros Textile factory workers in India are asked to wear GoPros to record their jobs for AI training. > Nobody told me anything about it ## Shoba Kirubakaran records aprons Shoba Kirubakaran, a 40-year-old textile worker, says she's been told to wear a GoPro three times. > I only know how to do this job ## AI training data needs India provides millions of hours of egocentric data for AI robots to learn human tasks. > Think of today's AIs as brains without a body ## Workers paid for data Some workers earn $2.60 an hour to record themselves for AI training data. > We are training them on how to package the aprons ## Objectways trains robots Objectways, a Karur tech company, trains robots using GoPros to record repetitive tasks. > The robot is like a child ## Rajeshkumar Ramaswamy shows robot training Rajeshkumar Ramaswamy teaches robots to identify water bottles using GoPro recordings. > We are the humans. We are teaching the robots what needs to be done ## Sneha Jegadish records housework Sneha Jegadish, a 24-year-old, records housework for $2.60 an hour using a GoPro. > My mother had to show me how to do those jobs ## Kannagi Periyasaamy trains robots Kannagi Periyasaamy, a 42-year-old textile worker, records aprons for AI robot training. > I'm proud I can teach it to do a good job ## Robots could replace workers AI robots could take over textile and domestic jobs, leaving workers to seek new roles. > The work we are doing now is going to be done by robots in the future ## Power costs limit robots AI robots are expensive to run in India due to unreliable and costly electricity. > We may be able to make the robots, but they're bloody expensive to run ## Ravi Shankar opposes robot deployment Ravi Shankar, CEO of Objectways, says AI robots will be more expensive than human labor. > I don't think it's going to be cheaper ## Workers hope for robot jobs Workers like Periyasaamy hope robots will take over their jobs and they can switch to farming. > I'm thinking about taking up farming ## AI training data challenges AI robots need millions of hours of human recordings to learn tasks like folding towels and unpacking bags. > The robot needs to learn what is [a] water bottle ## Robots could replace jobs AI robots could replace textile and domestic jobs, leaving workers to find new roles. > The work we are doing now is going to be done by robots in the future ## Key takeaway Indian textile workers record themselves using GoPros to train AI robots that could take their jobs.