Ex-Hollywood Screenwriter Describes Precarious AI Training Work Amid Industry Stagnation
A former showrunner details the shift from traditional writing to unstable contract work, citing rates dropping from $150 to $16 an hour and allegations of misclassification.
A former Hollywood screenwriter and showrunner reports that the traditional television writing sector has entered a period of stagnation following the 2023 strikes. Consequently, the author describes a sharp decline in conventional work, forcing a shift toward gig-based AI training roles for platforms such as Mercor, Outlier, Task-ify, Turing, Handshake, and Micro1 to survive financially.
The employment conditions are characterised by severe instability, with the author describing a "fever dream" of work defined by abrupt hiring and firing. Projects often last only 24 hours or vanish without notice, leaving workers in a state of constant uncertainty regarding their income and future assignments.
Significant wage reductions have been reported within this sector. Initial offers for "expert" roles were as high as $150 an hour, but rates have reportedly dropped to as low as $16 an hour, which is below California's minimum wage. In one specific incident in November 2025, approximately 30,000 independent contractors were fired and immediately rehired on a new project at this significantly lower rate.
Workers allege they are misclassified as independent contractors, a status that denies them standard workplace protections against unpredictable scheduling, denial of breaks, and retaliation. Several lawsuits are currently underway alleging that companies like Mercor are misclassifying workers based on demands such as constant onboarding, retraining, and the need to be on call.
The competitive environment is described as gamified, where workers are graded on a 1–5 scale with vague and moving rubrics. Those scoring below a certain threshold face threats of being "off-boarded," while senior project leads are predominantly young adults managing experienced professionals in their 30s and 40s.
Mercor states in response that it strives to give workers "as much notice as possible when these projects change," a claim the author disputes based on their personal experience of abrupt dismissals and the rapid depletion of available tasks.
