The Handshake AI Fellowship pays people with associate, bachelor's, master's or PhD backgrounds to evaluate and improve AI models remotely. It's run by Handshake, the careers network, and is open to US-based applicants with valid work authorization. The fellowship page states $40 to $125 an hour, and payouts go out weekly through Stripe.
Latest jobs from Handshake
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Management Consultant
$80-100
/hr
Handshake • Bachelor's • 7d ago
Business AI Training
About Handshake
Business Model
AI training fellowship run by a careers network
How to Get Started
- 1 Apply on the Handshake AI page with your background
- 2 Verify your identity
- 3 Complete a background check
- 4 Pass the assessment for your field
Payment Speed
Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the previous Monday to Sunday
Pros
- ✓ Hourly pay of $40 to $125 stated on the fellowship page
- ✓ Payouts are sent by Wednesday for the previous Monday to Sunday week
- ✓ No prior AI experience required
Cons
- ⚠ Must be US-based with valid work authorization
- ⚠ Identity verification and a background check are part of onboarding
- ⚠ A pending misclassification suit alleges unpaid onboarding, weekly hour caps and mandated tooling (filed July 2026, unanswered)
Handshake by the numbers
Based on 210 live listings and structural analysis of 50 active postings.
Top Domains
STEM 25
Languages 6
Generalist 6
Finance 4
Software Engineering 3
Education Requirements
Bachelor 54%
Master 28%
PhD 16%
Associate 2%
What workers say about Handshake
Trust score, verified pay reports, and reviews from people who've actually worked here.
Handshake questions, answered from the data
- How much does Handshake pay?
- Middle half $75 to $100/hr, from 206 distinct listed hourly rates across 206 open roles. Updated October 4, 2026. Rates are what the listings state, not what every worker earns.
- How does Handshake pay out?
- Payout schedule on Handshake: Weekly via Stripe, by Wednesday for the previous Monday to Sunday. Weekly through Stripe. Handshake's support site says payouts are sent by Wednesday for the previous Monday to Sunday week. A pending suit alleges fellows are misclassified as contractors, so confirm your terms in writing before you start.
- How do I get accepted on Handshake?
- 1) Apply on the Handshake AI page with your background. 2) Verify your identity. 3) Complete a background check. 4) Pass the assessment for your field. Apply on joinhandshake.com/ai with your education and field. Onboarding includes identity verification, a background check and an assessment. You don't need a .edu email: eligibility is US residence and valid work authorization, and F-1 students on CPT or OPT can qualify (STEM OPT is excluded).
- Is Handshake legit?
- Handshake currently lists 210 open roles on its own board, which we read daily. Workers have left 5 approved reviews of Handshake on aitrainer.work; read them at aitrainer.work/platforms/handshake/reviews before you apply, and apply only through Handshake's own site.