Skilled Older Workers Turn to AI Training as a Last Refuge in a Brutal Job Market
Patrick Ciriello, a 60-year-old with a master's degree in information management, knows what it means to hit rock bottom. After losing his job and being unable to find work for nearly a year, his family's foundation crumbled, forcing them to live in motels and eventually sleep in their car. "You hear about people who hit rock bottom," Ciriello told the Guardian. "Well, I was there." His story is emblematic of a growing trend among skilled older workers in America who, despite degrees and decades of experience, are turning to artificial intelligence training as a last resort in a brutal job market.
The Desperate Shift to AI Training
For most of his career, Ciriello designed software systems for banks, universities, and pharmaceutical companies. However, economic shocks like the dotcom crash, the 2008 financial crisis, and the Covid pandemic repeatedly cost him jobs, each time forcing him to dip into savings. In early 2023, after losing a job building industrial printer heads, he sent out hundreds of applications for IT support, customer service, and even a deli counter role, with no offers. His family, including his wife, 20-year-old son, and cat, spent months living in a Toyota Highlander, parking overnight in Walmart lots and using library Wi-Fi for job searches.
Then, in March 2024, Ciriello received a cryptic LinkedIn message advertising a "content writer" job, which he initially assumed was a scam. He took the role and discovered it involved training AI models—a field known as data annotation. This work includes labeling and evaluating information to improve AI systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's Gemini, with tasks such as reviewing medical responses for accuracy. Ciriello is one of five skilled workers aged 50 and older who spoke to the Guardian about using their expertise in this emerging sector, often as a bridge job when traditional employment avenues dry up.
Age Bias and Economic Pressures
Richard Johnson, vice-president of the AARP Public Policy Institute, notes that US workers over 60 take about 50% longer to find new jobs than younger counterparts, with few regaining previous earnings. Employers may erroneously view older workers as more expensive or lacking current skills. According to the Urban Institute, about half of workers aged 50 to 54 are involuntarily pushed out of long-term jobs before retirement, a trend intensified by the pandemic. Roughly 5.7 million workers over 55 lost jobs in early 2020, many still not back to stable work, per the Economic Policy Institute.
Joanna Lahey, a professor at Texas A&M University, describes AI training as a new form of "bridge job" for skilled professionals like engineers, lawyers, and nurses, offering flexibility and quick income but often a step down in pay and benefits. While top experts can earn over $180 an hour, typical rates start at $20-$40 hourly, with contract-based work lacking stability. For many, it's a necessary refuge in a market that becomes harder to re-enter with age.
Personal Stories of Transition
Ciriello's first AI training job paid $21 an hour for 40-hour weeks reviewing Google's AI products, but he was laid off in January 2025. He now earns $20 an hour training Meta's models, covering basic expenses but qualifying for Medicaid and Snap benefits. With no savings and a disabled son, he says, "I don't think I'll ever be retiring."
Rebecca Kimble, 52, a former emergency medicine physician earning $300,000-$500,000 annually, turned to AI training after a DUI, breast cancer diagnosis, and extended gaps in practice made re-entry difficult. She now juggles gig-style assignments, earning $30-$140 an hour but with unpredictable hours, calling it "not a job" but a temporary fix. Similarly, Anne, a 60-year-old with a PhD in public policy, shifted from a six-figure academic salary to $26 an hour training Google's AI after long Covid forced her to quit teaching. She finds the work rewarding but demoralizing given her career sacrifices.
The Future of AI Training and Job Security
AI training can be intellectually engaging but exposes workers to gig economy instability. Ciriello describes some environments as "tech sweatshops," while Anne appreciates flexibility but faces pay cuts. Kimble worries AI could reduce doctor staffing but believes engaging with it can shape better medical responses. Ciriello isn't concerned about AI eliminating jobs long-term, seeing it as part of technological change, but fears inadequate social safety nets. He's developing a coaching practice and online course, viewing AI training as a stopgap. "More than likely, what I'm doing will not exist a year from now," he said. "So I'm betting on myself."
This story highlights how skilled older workers, caught in economic transitions, are adapting to survive, with AI training offering a fragile lifeline in an unforgiving job landscape.
