By Cicero’s Technology Desk
The next generation of household robots may owe a surprising debt to ordinary people carrying out everyday chores in kitchens, workshops and living rooms across India.
A rapidly expanding industry is paying thousands of workers to record themselves performing routine tasks, providing artificial intelligence systems with valuable real-world data designed to teach robots how humans interact with their surroundings.
Among them is 25-year-old Nagireddy Sriramyachandra from Chennai, who earns extra income by wearing a head-mounted camera while preparing food, cleaning and carrying out other household activities. The recordings are uploaded to technology firms developing AI systems capable of replicating human movement.
What might appear mundane is proving increasingly valuable to robotics companies worldwide. Engineers believe that first-person footage, known as “egocentric data”, can help machines better understand how people handle objects, navigate rooms and complete practical tasks that remain challenging for artificial intelligence.
The work forms part of a growing sector known as spatial AI, where human actions are transformed into training material for future generations of robots. Workers record everything from folding laundry and making drinks to factory processes and retail tasks.
Several technology companies have established large-scale operations across southern India, recruiting contributors to film themselves in homes, studios and manufacturing facilities. Some wear smart glasses, while others use motion sensors attached to their arms and legs to capture precise movements.
Industry leaders argue that robots trained on this data could eventually perform repetitive or physically demanding work, freeing people to focus on more skilled and creative roles. Supporters envision a future in which humans supervise fleets of intelligent machines rather than carrying out routine labour themselves.
The market for humanoid robots is attracting enormous investment. Analysts predict that by the middle of the century, hundreds of millions, and potentially more than a billion, robots could be operating worldwide in factories, warehouses, hospitals and homes.
Yet the development also raises difficult questions about employment. India, home to one of the world’s largest workforces, is actively exploring both the opportunities and risks presented by automation. Policymakers have warned that while artificial intelligence may boost productivity, it could also disrupt traditional occupations if introduced without careful planning.
Researchers note that discussions about AI often focus on office workers and professionals, while less attention is paid to the millions of informal workers who form the backbone of the economy. Understanding how technology will affect these communities remains a major challenge.
For now, however, the irony is clear: before robots can learn to work like humans, they must first spend thousands of hours watching humans at work.
From folding towels and preparing meals to assembling products and arranging household items, the everyday routines of ordinary people are quietly becoming the instruction manual for the machines of the future.
