If you've been looking into ways to make money online lately, you've probably seen Outlier AI pop up. It's one of the biggest sites currently paying people to help train artificial intelligence right now.
But should you bother with it? Could it be a full-time remote job?
Here's everything you need to know before you sign up.
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What Is Outlier AI?
Outlier AI is a site that pays people to help teach AI how to get smarter. It's run by a company called Scale AI, which is one of the biggest and most trusted names in the AI industry. Scale AI is worth over $13 billion, so this is a real, established company and not a fly by night startup.
In case you are confused about how it works, AI systems learn from humans. These companies need real people to read AI responses, rate them, spot the mistakes, and write example questions and answers. Outlier connects those companies with workers like you who could do that from home.
So far, Outlier has supposedly paid out $500 million to contributors, and it is operating in more than 50 countries. You set your own hours and there's no minimum amount of time you have to work each week.
Who Can Apply to Outlier?
Like Alignerr, Outlier is looking for people who have real knowledge or experience in specific areas. They prefer people with college degrees, or graduate students and people with advanced degrees like a master's or PhD.
The four main categories are coding, STEM, languages, and general work. The general category is the most accessible if you don't have a highly specialized background. If you write well, think critically, or know a lot about a specific subject, you may still be able to find something you can get paid to do.
Outlier accepts contributors from over 50 countries, so it open worldwide, though the work available and the pay can differ depending on where you live. US-based workers generally earn more than contributors in other countries.
One thing to know upfront is that even if you meet all the requirements, getting matched to an actual project is not guaranteed. Plenty of people complete the whole signup process and then wait weeks or months before being assigned any work.
What Is the Schedule?
Outlier does not make you adhere to any set schedule, but you can't count on work being available unfortunately. Projects open and close periodically, so having work at all times is not in your control.
I have a ton more “work when you want” jobs posted here.
What Sort of Tasks Does Outlier Offer?
It will really vary depending on your background, expertise, and the project you get placed on. But workers have said they do the following for Outlier:
- Writing tricky questions and correct answers to help AI learn
- Rating and comparing AI responses to pick the best one
- Creating scoring guides to judge whether AI answers are right or wrong
- Reading AI-generated text and checking it for accuracy
- Testing the AI to find weaknesses or wrong answers
- Reviewing code for people with a programming background
- Expert work in areas like math, science, law, or medicine
Many people seem to enjoy the work because it makes them think. If you are interested in doing something more mindless, this may not be for you.
How Much Can You Earn On Outlier?
Pay depends on your skills, your location, and which project you land on. Based on data from over 1,400 contributors on Glassdoor, pay generally ranges from about $29 per hour on the lower end up to $66 per hour for the more advanced reviewer roles.
The roles that require less experience and expertise pay somewhere between $15 and $30 per hour. Specialist roles in coding, STEM, and expert fields can pay more.
People working 15 to 20 hours a week during a busy project period have reported earning between $1,800 and $3,600 a month. Some have made even more during especially active stretches.
But again, if no work is available, you won't earn anything. So even if it goes well for a while, it could dry up eventually.
When Do They Pay?
Outlier pays once a week, every Tuesday, for work done the previous week. You can get paid through PayPal, AirTM, or direct bank deposit if you're in the US.
One good thing about Outlier is that you can see exactly what you earned for every task you complete. They are also known for paying on time.
What Equipment Is Needed?
Outlier doesn't require any special equipment outside what you may already own. If you have a computer or laptop with a decent internet connection, that is probably enough.
The work you do is all browser-based, so there should be nothing to download.
What Do Outlier Workers Say?
Reviews of Outlier are all over the place, and there is good and bad.
On Trustpilot, Outlier has a 4 out of 5 rating based on nearly 4,000 reviews.
On Glassdoor, the rating drops to 3.2 out of 5 based on 645 reviews.
On Reddit, in communities like r/WorkOnline and r/beermoney where gig workers tend to be the most honest, the general feeling is that Outlier is “legit but chaotic.” Most people say it's not a scam, but not everyone is having good experiences.
Here's a fair summary of what people are saying:
On the plus side, it's interesting work that makes you think, they pay on time, the schedule is flexible, and apparently their platform is pretty easy to use and get used to.
On the down side, people say that work dries up a lot and with no warning. There were also some comments about a messy onboarding process, non-communicative support, getting removed from projects with no warning or good reason, and then some workers got told they violated community guidelines with no further information about what they did.
I'd recommend doing a search for Outlier on Reddit and Glassdoor and reading the reviews for yourself prior to signing up.
To Sum Up
Outlier AI is a real platform backed by a serious company. If you have subject matter knowledge, some patience, and you're not counting on it as your main income, you might like it just fine.
The frustration most workers run into isn't about being scammed. It's about signing up, getting excited, and then sitting around with nothing to do!
When there's work it pays well and it's interesting. When there isn't, there's nothing you can do but wait for work.
How To Sign Up For Outlier
If you want to give it a try, go here to apply at Outlier.
Looking For Other Remote Work Options?
AI training platforms are great on the side, but if you need something more reliable, FlexJobs is worth checking out.
Every listing on the site is screened before it goes up so you're not wading through scams or jobs that aren't actually remote.
If the unpredictability of AI gig work isn't cutting it for your situation, FlexJobs is one of the best places I know to find something steadier. It is $2.95 to try for 14 days, so there is little risk to signing up and browsing through their hundreds of remote work listings.
Anna Thurman is a work at home blogger and mom of two. She has been researching and reviewing remote jobs for over 15 years. Her findings are published weekly here at Real Ways to Earn.