Mercor Reaches $10 Billion Valuation Connecting AI Labs with Professional Workers

Mercor Reaches $10 Billion Valuation Connecting AI Labs with Professional Workers

According to TechCrunch AI, three-year-old startup Mercor has achieved a $10 billion valuation by serving as an intermediary in the AI industry’s data needs.

The company connects major AI labs, including OpenAI and Anthropic, with professionals from prestigious backgrounds. According to the report, Mercor recruits former employees of Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and white-shoe law firms to perform work for AI companies, compensating them up to $200 per hour.

The business model positions Mercor as what TechCrunch describes as a “middleman in AI’s data gold rush,” facilitating the flow of specialized professional knowledge to AI development efforts. The company’s rapid ascent to a $10 billion valuation in just three years highlights the significant demand for high-quality data and professional expertise in training and developing AI systems.

The report suggests that Mercor has tapped into a growing market where AI labs require input from professionals with specific domain expertise to improve their models’ capabilities in specialized fields such as finance, consulting, and legal services.