Every AI company needs people who know a subject well enough to catch a model's mistakes. A physician checks a medical answer. A lawyer rates a contract summary. An engineer writes a hard problem and the correct solution. The platforms in this guide are where that work gets handed out.
Five of the six are AI training platforms. Ethos is an expert network that sells advice and research to companies, so its work is consulting more than model training. It is here because it draws on the same kind of person: someone with real experience in a field.
They differ a lot. On some you pick a project yourself, and on others you get interviewed first and matched later. Pay, hours and whether you count as a contractor or an employee change from one platform to the next, and often from one listing to the next. None of them promises steady work.
Everything below comes from each platform's public pages, which we read on October 11 and 12, 2026. Terms change, so check the current details before you apply.
Mercor
Expert contract work, listed project by project.
Mercor says it organizes human intelligence to power the AI economy. For experts it works like a job board. You browse listings, and each one states the work, the pay and who can apply. The company says its network has more than 30,000 experts, including physicians, lawyers, engineers and consultants.
What the work looks like
Projects range widely. Listings we have seen cover molecular biology, mechanical engineering, video editing, journalism and software engineering. The usual tasks are writing expert-level questions and answers, grading AI responses against a rubric, and reviewing work in your own field.
Getting in
You apply to listings one at a time. Each lists what it needs: years of experience, a degree, sometimes a particular laptop. Some are open to one country only, and some exclude certain visas. Read those lines first so you do not waste an application.
Pay
Every listing shows pay, usually per hour and occasionally per task. Mercor's site quotes an average contracted rate above $100 an hour. That is the company's own figure, and any single role can pay less.
Worth knowing
- Some roles are independent contractor work and some are full-time W-2 through an employer of record. The listing says which.
- A few projects pay per task until your first task is approved, then switch to hourly.
- Mercor credits a referral only when the link is used during the application, so use the link before you apply.
micro1
An AI interview first, project matching after.
micro1 describes itself as a data lab that helps AI labs and enterprises train frontier models and agents. Experts start with an interview run by an AI interviewer. Human recruiters then review your profile and match you to projects.
What the work looks like
The roles skew toward specialist fields: clinical documentation, finance and trading, law, engineering and data quality. A typical task is reviewing records or model outputs against written guidelines and writing feedback that improves the model.
Getting in
You can apply to a specific role or validate your skills directly on the platform. After the interview you are certified and onboarded, which makes you eligible for matching. micro1 says certification does not guarantee placement. That depends on what projects need at the time.
Pay
Each role lists a range, usually per hour. Some say compensation is output-based, so you are paid per task that meets the project specifications. In that case your real hourly rate depends on how quickly and accurately you work.
Worth knowing
- micro1 hires globally but cannot hire residents of certain countries. Its site has the list.
- Roles are contractor positions, and official messages come from micro1's own email domains. Treat anything else with suspicion.
- Many roles ask for several years in the field, so check your experience against the requirements before you start.
Outlier
Flexible project work from Scale AI.
Outlier is run by Scale AI. Contributors with subject expertise write prompts and answers, build grading rubrics, and rate and rank AI responses. There are no minimum hours.
What the work looks like
Projects cover coding, STEM, languages and general tasks, and the requirements change from one to the next. You are placed on projects that fit the skills in your profile.
Getting in
Onboarding is self-serve. Outlier's site puts it at roughly 30 to 90 minutes: create an account, pick your areas of expertise, pass skill screenings and verify your identity. You need a valid ID and a mobile phone from your country of residence, and some projects add their own onboarding.
Pay
Outlier describes pay as competitive with quality-based rewards, paid weekly. It does not publish fixed rates on its main page, so what you earn depends on the project and your hours.
Worth knowing
- Projects are matched to your skills, so the marketplace can look empty until one fits. Adding verified skills helps.
- The usual minimum is undergraduate-level expertise in the field, and many projects prefer graduate degrees.
- Because pay includes quality-based rewards, careful work counts for more than fast work.
Invisible
Projects from the expert network at Invisible Technologies.
Invisible Technologies is an applied AI company, and Meridial is its expert network. The site says Meridial has more than 24,000 vetted experts, sorted by skill, language and domain. They label training data, stress-test AI systems and handle edge cases that AI agents cannot yet manage.
What the work looks like
The marketplace lists projects such as side-by-side response evaluation, factuality checking, task auditing, language and dialect evaluation, audio testing and engineering benchmarks. Many projects involve languages other than English.
Getting in
You sign in, browse the Explore page, open a project and request to join. Each project describes the work and its pay, and some ask for proof of your experience.
Pay
Pay is on each project, mostly per hour. Entry-level language and evaluation work sits at the low end, and technical auditing pays more. A few microtask projects pay per unit instead. You can compare current projects on Remotesme.
Worth knowing
- Per-unit projects pay for each item you finish, so work out how many you can realistically complete in an hour.
- Listings run from a few days old to several months old. Check how recent a project is before you apply.
- The individual projects describe the independent contractor terms.
SME Careers
Subject-matter expert contracts from SuperAnnotate.
SME Careers is the expert network of SuperAnnotate, a data platform AI companies use to train domain-specific systems. It looks for people with advanced degrees or hands-on knowledge in specialised fields.
What the work looks like
Its site groups work into natural and social sciences, languages and culture, law, medicine and finance, and the arts. Job categories include mathematics, physics, medicine, legal, software, finance, linguistics and education. All are remote contracts.
Getting in
There are three steps. Apply with your expertise and background, complete your profile so you can see projects, then do tasks on your own schedule.
Pay
SME says projects have transparent pay rates and are paid weekly, with tax and regulatory compliance handled for your country through Deel. It lists experts from more than 40 countries.
Worth knowing
- This is contractor work. One contributor on SME's own site says it can be inconsistent, so think of it as a supplement to other income.
- Pay rates appear after you complete your profile. The public page does not show them.
Ethos
An expert network for consulting, advisory calls and research.
Ethos calls itself an expert network trusted by research teams and consulting firms. Experts create a profile, get matched to opportunities and get paid for sharing what they know. Its site says it is free to join, with no commitment, and you set your own availability.
What the work looks like
The work is advice, not model training. Ethos lists paid consulting projects, 30 to 60 minute advisory calls with research firms, investors and companies, and surveys or research projects. Featured opportunities on its site include a market research and consumer insights manager, a brand and creative direction role and a proposal manager or bid writer.
Getting in
The steps are short: create your expert profile, get matched to opportunities, then get paid. Matching is based on your career history, so a detailed profile matters more than a test score. The public page does not describe how experts are vetted.
Pay
The featured opportunities show hourly rates with weekly limits, for example $70 an hour and up to $1,400 a week, or $80 an hour and up to $1,600 a week. The site says advisory call experts can set their own rate. Neither the rates nor how often you get matched are guaranteed.
Worth knowing
- Opportunities depend on a match with your background, so income can be uneven, especially at first.
- The public page does not say whether experts are contractors or how payment works. Read the Expert Terms before you accept work.
- Some screens on the site are examples of how the product looks, not real offers. Judge it by the opportunities you are actually matched to.
The platforms side by side
| Platform | Best for | How you get in | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercor | Experienced professionals who want to choose specific projects | Apply to each listing | On every listing, hourly or per task |
| micro1 | Specialists in medicine, finance, law and engineering | AI interview, then matching | A range on each role; some pay per task |
| Outlier | Flexible part-time work in coding, STEM and languages | Self-serve screenings and ID check | Not on the main page; paid weekly |
| Invisible | Language, evaluation and audio projects, from entry level up | Browse and request to join | On each project, hourly or per unit |
| Ethos | Working professionals who can offer consulting or advisory time | Create a profile and get matched | Hourly rates on featured listings; advisory rates set by you |
| SME Careers | Academics and domain experts in the sciences, law and the arts | Apply, complete your profile, get matched | After you complete your profile; paid weekly |
How to get started
- Start with one or two platforms
Each has its own screening. Finish one properly before you open the next, and lead with your strongest subject.
- Check the requirements against your background
Listings name the years of experience, degrees and tools they want. Apply where you clearly fit, and tailor your resume to the posting in the Remotesme resume studio.
- Prepare for the screening
Expect a skills test, a short interview or sample tasks. Our guides on giving feedback and writing resume bullets cover what reviewers look for.
- Plan for uneven work
Most of this is contract work. Hours vary, projects end, and you handle your own taxes. Count it as flexible income, not a salary.
- Never pay to get work
Real platforms do not charge you to join or to receive tasks. Be wary of messages from addresses that are not the platform's own.
Ready to apply?
Browse current roles from these platforms, then tailor your resume to the posting.
Common questions
Do I need AI experience?
Usually not. Platforms want deep knowledge of a subject. Some listings call prior AI or annotation work a plus.
Are these jobs or contract work?
Mostly contract work. A few listings are W-2 through an employer of record. The listing or the platform's terms say which.
Do the platform links in this guide earn Remotesme money?
Yes. The platform names link to Remotesme's referral links. If you sign up through one and meet that platform's conditions, Remotesme may get a reward. Using a link costs you nothing extra.
Is Remotesme connected to these companies?
No. Remotesme is an independent directory, and no platform listed here has endorsed it.