In Episode #206, author James Muldoon joins Osi to expose the hidden, exploitative labor force behind artificial intelligence. They discuss the precarious conditions faced by data annotators, content moderators, and other workers whose low-paying and dangerous jobs drive the development of A.I.

James Muldoon is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Management at the Essex Business School, a Research Associate at the Oxford Internet Institute, and Head of Digital Research at the Autonomy think tank.

His research examines how modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence and digital platforms, can create public value and serve the common good. It explores how concepts of freedom, power, and democracy need to be rethought in the digital age, and what steps can be taken to harness the positive potential of new technology.

Recently, his work has focused on the hidden human labor behind artificial intelligence and the global production networks that support AI. He also analyzes how digital labor is evolving across various sectors, including ride-hailing, food delivery, domestic work, childcare, and microwork.