In Hollywood, AI gig work could be the "new waiting tables"

May 20, 2026Ruth Fowler, a screenwriter, talked about her experience working as an AI trainer when her work in Hollywood couldn’t pay the bills.

In a piece for WIRED, Fowler said job seekers in Hollywood, and all over, are increasingly turning to that newer industry.Sergey Strelkov/Getty ImagesThe newest job on the gig economy market? Working as an artificial intelligence trainer. Ruth Fowler, a screenwriter and single mom living in Los Angeles, tried her hand at working as an AI trainer when she needed money to pay the bills. She wrote about her experience in a piece for WIRED titled, “I Work in Hollywood. Everyone Who Used to Make TV Is Now Secretly Training AI.” She spoke with “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal about her experience. Click the audio player above to hear their conversation.