Mark Zuckerberg is paying US workers Rs 4,850 an hour to build Hindi AI chatbots for India: Report

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described chatbots as a way to “complement real-world friendships” and normalize bonding with digital companions.

Meta is hiring US-based contractors at up to $55 (Rs 4,850) an hour to help build Hindi-language AI chatbots tailored for Indian users, Business Insider reported. The roles are part of Meta’s push to expand its AI presence in key growth markets, including India, Indonesia, and Mexico.

Job listings reviewed by the publication show that contractors are being recruited through staffing firms like Crystal Equation and Aquent Talent to work on character development for chatbots across Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. The roles require fluency in Hindi, Indonesian, Spanish, or Portuguese, along with at least six years of experience in storytelling, character creation, and familiarity with AI content pipelines.

The tech giant declined to comment on the hiring strategy, but according to Business Insider, Meta is filing these new roles through staffing vendors. One of them, Crystal Equation, advertised Hindi and Indonesian language positions for Meta, while another, Aquent Talent, shared job listings in Spanish-language roles for a "top social media company" building "technologies that help people connect."

Meta’s decision to hire contractors for localised chatbot creation signals a more hands-on approach in shaping culturally relevant digital personas for India.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described chatbots as a way to “complement real-world friendships” and normalise bonding with digital companions. But, the company’s growing investment in AI chatbots has triggered scrutiny. A Reuters investigation found that Meta’s bots had engaged in romantic and sexual conversations with minors, generated inaccurate medical advice, and produced racist content.

Privacy concerns have also surfaced. A Business Insider report from August revealed that contractors reviewing chatbot conversations routinely encountered personally identifiable information — including names, emails, phone numbers, and selfies — raising questions about data security.

US lawmakers have since called for greater oversight of Meta’s AI policies.