Inside some factories in India, a new kind of work is quietly taking shape. Workers are being asked to wear head-mounted cameras while performing everyday tasks, like stitching fabric, assembling electronics, handling machinery, or sorting products.
The video of workers in an Indian factory went viral last month, where they could be seen sewing garments while wearing white bands around their heads fitted with a camera. The video was picked up by news outlets around the world with major media houses such as CNN doing a report.
The footage captured through these cameras is not meant for security or training new workers. Instead, it is being used to train artificial intelligence systems and robots to imitate human actions.
The process is part of a rapidly growing global push to build ‘physical AI’ – machines that can learn real-world tasks by watching humans work. Companies call this ‘egocentric data’, or first-person recordings of human movement and behaviour.
But while the technology promises faster automation and smarter robots, many workers involved in these projects say they are deeply uneasy about what comes next.
India emerging as a major AI data hub
India is increasingly becoming a global centre for collecting human behavioural data used to train robots and AI systems.
According to a report in The Indian Express, workers in factories across states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra are recording hours of footage while carrying out industrial tasks. Some workers are reportedly being paid between Rs 250 and Rs 350 per hour for participating in these data collection exercises.
Companies involved in the sector say this data helps robots understand complex physical actions that are difficult to code manually — such as hand coordination, grip pressure, movement timing, and how humans respond to changing situations on factory floors.
Industry players see India as an ideal market because of its large workforce, lower costs, and vast manufacturing base.
Why workers are concerned
For many workers, however, the concern goes beyond privacy.
Unlike traditional factory automation, where machines perform repetitive tasks, newer AI-powered robots are being trained to copy human decision-making and movement patterns in detail.
Workers fear that once enough data is collected, companies may no longer need humans for several factory roles. Many also say they are unclear about how their data will be used, who owns it, and whether they fully understand what they are consenting to.
A report by Scroll claimed that some companies offer productivity analysis reports to factories in exchange for access to worker recordings.
The report, citing privacy experts and labour rights advocates, said it raises concerns about surveillance and informed consent, especially in workplaces where workers may feel pressured to participate.
