AI firms are collecting workplace data to improve machine learning

AI companies are increasingly gathering workplace data to refine their systems. Business Insider's new series, The AI Data Grab, highlights how firms are now focusing on understanding human workflows. One report details how AI firms are offering businesses large sums for anonymized internal communications, such as Slack messages and emails. These data sets aim to teach AI systems how people solve problems and make decisions. Another story explores how law firms are leveraging decades of legal knowledge to build custom AI systems. A third piece reveals that AI companies are paying individuals to record physical tasks, such as cooking and warehouse packing, to train robots. These efforts mark a shift from building larger models to creating AI that understands and enhances human work processes. The first wave of generative AI focused on model size and processing power, but the next phase is about understanding real-world workflows. This approach aims to make AI more effective in assisting human tasks. The series underscores the growing importance of workplace data in shaping the future of AI development.