As we move into 2026, we want to take a moment to reflect on what 2025 looked like for Turkopticon and for the data workers whose labor makes today’s AI systems possible. Across the globe, data workers play a critical role in building, maintaining, and moderating AI but their work often remains hidden from public view. In 2025, Turkopticon worked on making that labor visible, amplifying worker voices, and challenging narratives that treat AI as magic and automatic, rather than deeply human. This year was about showing up; in research, in media, in organizing spaces, and in direct conversation with platforms to ensure that workers are a part of the story.
One milestone in 2025 was Krista and Brook’s contribution to the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA and TechEquity report Ghost Workers in the AI Machine. While much of the conversation about “invisible labor” centers on the Global South, this report documented the often overlooked realities faced by US based data workers. It highlighted ongoing challenges including low pay, unpaid downtime, unclear platform policies, account instability, and the mental toll of doing this work.
Throughout the year, Turkopticon organizers also shared their experiences directly with broader audiences through the media. Brook was featured in a Business Insider article highlighting her work as a data worker. Krista was also featured in a Business insider article, “Inside the lucrative, surreal, and disturbing world of AI trainers”, where she shared her experiences as a data worker. Together, Krista and Brook were featured in Varsha Bansal’s Guardian article, “Meet the AI workers who tell their friends and family to stay away from AI”, which captured the skepticism that many workers feel after seeing how AI systems are actually built.
Beyond print journalism, Turkopticon voices reached listeners through podcasts. Krista spoke with Angeline Corvaglia on the Digital Dominoes podcast in an episode titled “Behind the AI Curtain: A US Data Labeler’s Journey Since 2008”, while Brook appeared on The Kim Komando Show to discuss her experiences as a data worker and the realities behind the technologies many people use everyday.
None of this happens in isolation. Throughout 2025, Turkopticon continued collaborating closely with allies including the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA, TechEquity, and the Athena Coalition. These relationships strengthened our research, advocacy, and organizing efforts, helping connect data worker experiences to broader labor, tech accountability, and policy conversations. Working alongside aligned organizations allowed us to share resources, learn from one another, and build a more coordinated approach to supporting workers across the data supply chain.
Community building and organizing also remained central to our work. In October, Krista, C.S., and Brook attended Circuit Breakers, a gathering of tech workers, organizers, and activists, where they facilitated a workshop on navigating the challenges of running a worker-led organization. This session created space to share hard learned lessons about sustainability, transparency, and collective care.
Education and outreach were another key focus. Krista and Brook presented at the Michigan Association of School Boards’ spring conference on “The Environmental & Ethical Impacts of AI: Behind the curtain of Data Centers and Invisible Workers”, helping educators and school board leaders better understand the human labor and environmental costs embedded in AI systems increasingly used in education.
Looking back, 2025 reaffirmed that visibility is only the first step. Awareness must lead to stronger protections, fairer standards, and real accountability from the platforms that rely on this labor. As we move into 2026, Turkopticon remains committed to centering worker voices, supporting collective action, and pushing for a future where data workers everywhere are treated with dignity and respect. This work is only possible because of the workers, allies, and supporters who believe in transparency, and accountability in the data supply chain. If you’re in a position to support us, donations help us continue showing up for data workers in the year ahead. However you support this work, we’re grateful you’re here.
With gratitude and solidarity
The Turkopticon Team