The 6th Session of the Singapore Future AI Summit 2025 continue with great energy, bringing together 131 delegates from 21 countries for an insightful exploration of the intersection between technology, governance, and diplomacy.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Mr Ephantus Kanyugi, Vice President of the Data Labelers Association (DLA) Kenya, for leading a powerful Masterclass 6: “Beyond the Algorithm: The Global Supply Chain of Human Labor for AI” at the Singapore Future AI Summit 2025, presented by INSIP, and hosted by Dara Swandana.
The session brought to light the human workforce powering AI systems, data labelers and content moderators whose invisible labor trains the very technologies that shape our world. Ephantus explained that data labeling is like teaching AI the way you’d teach a child, turning unstructured data into knowledge that enables innovations like self-driving cars, medical tools, and voice assistants.
The session brought to light the human workforce powering AI systems, data labelers and content moderators
He highlighted the realities and challenges faced by these workers, including low pay, lack of recognition, and emotional strain from moderating harmful content without adequate support. With few labor protections and limited mental health resources, many face instability despite being essential to AI development.
In response, the Data Labelers Association (DLA) founded in 2024 in Nairobi advocates for fair wages, ethical labor practices, mental health support, and AI literacy. Through community-led initiatives and policy engagement, DLA strives to make digital labor visible, valued, and protected.ces visitors to read further.
We thank Mr. Ephantus Kanyugi for an eye-opening and deeply human session that reminded us: AI doesn’t work by itself. It works because people do.
