Lawyers Teach AI to Think Like Them, Cashing In on a New Side Hustle

Lawyers are increasingly paid to train frontier AI models through firms like Mercor and Micro1, doing red-teaming and crafting “golden responses” to teach AI how experienced attorneys think. While compensation (often $100–$200 per hour) is meaningful, the aim is to shape AI that can handle routine tasks such as contract review and legal research, not replace lawyers who provide judgment, client reassurance, and courtroom skills.