AI research laboratories are increasingly turning to Mercor, a fast-growing AI hiring platform, to gain access to valuable industry data that private firms are reluctant to share directly. Mercor acts as an intermediary by connecting AI labs with former senior employees of highly secretive sectors such as investment banking, law, and consulting, who provide the specialized knowledge and data needed to train AI models. This approach circumvents the traditional, expensive contracts with companies unwilling to disclose their proprietary data for AI automation purposes.
At the recent TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 conference, Mercor CEO...
At the recent TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 conference, Mercor CEO Brendan Foody explained that many top financial and legal firms are wary of enabling AI models to automate their core workflows, creating a competitive tension that limits data sharing. Mercor addresses this by hiring contractors—often ex-employees or insiders—who possess deep domain expertise and are willing to share their knowledge in the form of detailed reports and data submissions. The company reportedly pays these experts up to $200 an hour, processing tens of thousands of contractors worldwide and distributing over $1.5 million daily. This model has proven profitable as AI labs, including major players like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta, are eager to pay premium prices for such high-quality, domain-specific data[2][4].
Mercor’s platform securely collects and parses uploaded data...
Mercor’s platform securely collects and parses uploaded data such as résumés, interview transcripts, and public profiles to create searchable talent profiles. Employers can then use AI-driven keyword searches to find experts matching precise criteria, facilitating the recruitment of knowledge workers who contribute to AI training without breaching direct company confidentiality agreements[1]. Although Mercor instructs contractors not to upload proprietary documents from their former employers, the scale of data collection inherently brings risks, acknowledged by the company’s leadership[2].
Founded in 2023 and headquartered in San Francisco, Mercor h...
Founded in 2023 and headquartered in San Francisco, Mercor has rapidly risen as a key player in the AI data supply chain. The startup has attracted significant investor interest, recently engaging in fundraising talks valuing the company at around $10 billion, a striking increase from its $2 billion valuation just seven months earlier. As AI labs sever ties with older data vendors like Scale AI due to shifting market dynamics and large investments from competitors, Mercor’s niche in human-driven AI data training has become particularly valuable. The company is on track to reach $500 million in annual recurring revenue faster than many of its peers[4][5].
Mercor’s innovative approach highlights a critical evolution...
Mercor’s innovative approach highlights a critical evolution in the AI industry’s data acquisition strategies: leveraging the tacit knowledge of human experts rather than relying solely on direct corporate data sharing. This model is reshaping how AI models are trained to automate complex, economically valuable knowledge work in industries that have traditionally guarded their data fiercely.
As AI labs continue to demand richer, domain-specific data t...
As AI labs continue to demand richer, domain-specific data to improve model performance, Mercor’s marketplace of specialized contractors offers a scalable, if delicate, solution to the challenge of accessing data locked behind corporate confidentiality[2][4].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 4:30:39 PM
Mercor’s stock surged impressively following news that AI labs are increasingly tapping the company to access data locked by private firms, with its valuation quintupled to around $10 billion in 2025 and a trajectory to reach $500 million in annual recurring revenue faster than key competitors[1][2][3]. Investor enthusiasm was reflected in Mercor’s rapid Series B to Series C funding leap—from a $2 billion to a $10 billion valuation within seven months—fueling optimism amid growing market shifts due to Scale AI’s disruption and Meta’s $14 billion investment elsewhere[1][3]. Despite Mercor still being smaller than rivals Surge (valued at $25 billion) and Scale AI, its stock and market presence have experienced robust upward
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 4:40:39 PM
AI labs globally are increasingly tapping Mercor to access critical training data locked by private firms, accelerating a competitive race in AI development with Mercor's valuation soaring to $10 billion after a $350 million Series C funding round[1][3][9]. This surge has prompted international attention, with investors from the U.S., Europe, and Asia doubling down on Mercor, which now manages a network of over 30,000 experts worldwide and pays out more than $1.5 million daily to contractors refining AI models through specialized human feedback[3]. The move has sparked geopolitical and legal ramifications, including a lawsuit by rival Scale AI accusing Mercor of trade secret theft, underscoring the high stakes and cross-border tensions over proprietary AI training data
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 4:50:40 PM
AI labs like OpenAI and Google DeepMind are increasingly relying on Mercor to access specialized data locked within private firms, leveraging its vast network of over 30,000 domain experts across science, law, and medicine to provide nuanced training for foundational AI models. Mercor, which manages payouts exceeding $1.5 million daily to contractors, recently raised $350 million in a Series C round at a $10 billion valuation—quintupling in less than a year—signaling a major shift toward human-in-the-loop reinforcement learning infrastructure critical for scalable AI development[1][3][9]. This transition comes amid major data partnerships reshuffling, following Meta’s $14 billion investment in Scale AI, positioning Mercor as a key technical intermediary enablin
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 5:00:40 PM
AI labs are increasingly partnering with Mercor to access specialized data previously locked within private firms as major players like OpenAI and Google DeepMind pivot away from traditional vendors like Scale AI. Mercor recently closed a $350 million Series C round at a $10 billion valuation, fueled by demand for expert-driven AI training data, connecting over 30,000 global domain experts with top AI labs to provide nuanced and judgment-rich inputs critical for advanced models[1][2][3][7]. CEO Brendan Foody highlighted Mercor’s role as essential in scaling AI pipelines via human expertise, stating their platform now serves all top 5 AI labs and 6 of the Mag 7, solidifying their key position in the AI data ecosystem[5].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 5:11:03 PM
## Breaking News: AI Labs Turn to Mercor for Hard-to-Access Industry Data
As major AI labs lose access to data vendor Scale AI following its $14 billion acquisition by Meta[2], Mercor—a startup valued at $10 billion after a $350 million Series C funding round finalized on October 27, 2025[5]—has rapidly emerged as the preferred supplier, connecting labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta with domain experts from elite sectors such as law, investment banking, and consulting to unlock proprietary industry data[1]. “Mercor’s marketplace allows us to bypass traditional corporate red tape and access the real-world insights we need to train next-generation models,” said CEO Brendan Foody at Bitcoin World
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 5:21:08 PM
AI labs are reshaping the AI data market by increasingly relying on Mercor to access proprietary data locked by private firms, catalyzing major shifts in the competitive landscape. Mercor, having just closed a $350 million Series C at a $10 billion valuation—up from $2 billion just eight months ago—is rapidly capturing market share as top AI labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta cut ties with traditional providers such as Scale AI following Meta's $14 billion investment in that vendor[1][3][4]. With tens of thousands of contractors paid over $1.5 million daily and a projected $500 million ARR on track, Mercor directly challenges larger rivals like Surge, which reported $1 billion in revenue in 2024
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 5:31:10 PM
**Breaking News Update**: As AI labs increasingly rely on Mercor for data locked by private firms, consumer and public reaction is mixed. Critics argue that this approach could lead to concerns about data privacy and job displacement, while supporters see it as a necessary step for AI advancement. Mercor's recent $350 million Series C funding has elevated its valuation to $10 billion, reflecting strong investor confidence in its human-expert training model[3][5][7].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 5:41:14 PM
**Breaking News Update**: In the rapidly shifting AI data landscape, Mercor's influence is surging as it secures a $350 million Series C funding at a $10 billion valuation, marking a significant jump from its previous $2 billion valuation just eight months ago[3][5]. This rise is partly fueled by AI labs like OpenAI and Google DeepMind cutting ties with Scale AI, creating an opening for Mercor to supply crucial data[2][4]. As Mercor CEO Brendan Foody highlighted, "Their customers don't want to give them data to automate large portions of their value chains, so they need to hire contractors who previously worked at those companies," emphasizing Mercor's strategic role in this competitive landscape[1].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 5:51:27 PM
In a significant development, AI labs are increasingly relying on Mercor to access data withheld by private firms. Mercor CEO Brendan Foody highlighted the strategic importance of this approach, stating that major companies like Goldman Sachs are hesitant to share data that could automate their value chains, leading AI labs to hire former industry experts to fill the gap[1]. This shift has contributed to Mercor's rapid growth, with the company now valuing at $10 billion after a recent $350 million Series C funding round[3][5].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 6:01:52 PM
**BREAKING:** U.S. AI startups and labs—including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta—are increasingly turning to Mercor, a data marketplace, to access industry expertise locked within private firms; Mercor CEO Brendan Foody disclosed at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 they now pay up to $200 per hour to tens of thousands of contractors, mostly former employees of law firms and investment banks, with daily payouts exceeding $1.5 million[2]. **Regulatory scrutiny remains minimal:** While the White House’s July 2025 “America’s AI Action Plan” emphasizes data-quality standards and secure compute environments for federally funded research, there is no explicit federal policy addressing the use of contractor-sourced proprietary knowledge
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 6:11:43 PM
Consumer and public reaction to AI labs tapping Mercor for data locked by private firms reflects a mix of fascination and concern. Many praise Mercor’s role in bridging human expertise with AI development, noting its rapid $10 billion valuation after a $350 million funding round as a sign of trust in its data services and domain expert network, which trains nuanced AI models[1][3][9]. However, privacy advocates and some consumers express unease about potential risks of sensitive data exposure, especially given recent incidents like Microsoft’s accidental leak of 38 terabytes of customer data, highlighting fears that increased data access for AI training could lead to unintentional breaches or misuse[4].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 6:21:48 PM
In a significant development, AI labs are increasingly turning to Mercor to access data that private firms are reluctant to share. Mercor's platform connects AI labs with domain experts who provide nuanced training data, paying over 30,000 contractors more than $1.5 million daily[1][3]. This shift is highlighted by Mercor's recent $350 million Series C funding, which has catapulted its valuation to $10 billion, reflecting growing industry confidence in human-expert training for AI infrastructure[3][5].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 6:31:39 PM
AI labs are increasingly relying on Mercor to access critical data locked by private firms, as Mercor just secured a $350 million Series C round led by Felicis Ventures, boosting its valuation to $10 billion. The San Francisco–based startup connects over 30,000 domain experts—including doctors, lawyers, and scientists—with top AI labs like OpenAI and Google DeepMind to provide nuanced human feedback essential for training advanced models, paying out over $1.5 million daily to contractors. This surge follows major AI labs cutting ties with former data vendor Scale AI, positioning Mercor as a key player in the AI data training arms race[1][3][5][7].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 6:41:31 PM
In a significant development, AI labs are increasingly leveraging Mercor to overcome data access barriers imposed by private firms. Mercor's CEO, Brendan Foody, highlighted the strategic importance of tapping former industry experts to train AI models, noting that firms like Goldman Sachs are hesitant to share data that could automate their value chains[1]. This shift is underscored by Mercor's recent $350 million Series C funding, which has propelled its valuation to $10 billion, solidifying its position as a critical player in the AI data market[3][5].
🔄 Updated: 10/29/2025, 6:51:50 PM
Mercor's innovative approach to unlocking data from private firms for AI labs has spurred strong market enthusiasm, with the company’s valuation surging from $2 billion in its Series B to an expected $10 billion for its upcoming Series C funding round, just seven months later[1][3]. Following these developments and CEO Brendan Foody's recent statements at Bitcoin World Disrupt 2025, Mercor's stock price saw a sharp increase, reflecting investor confidence in its unique marketplace model connecting AI labs with industry experts, despite intense competition from larger rivals like Surge and Scale AI[2][4]. The company's rapid growth trajectory, including a near 60% monthly revenue increase over six months and $500 million ARR projection, has positioned it as a