Selecting the Right RLHF Platform in 2024

With the growing adoption and complexity of AI solutions, companies are seeking new ways to develop and implement the technology in their business operations. In their journey of leveraging AI, they often seek assistance from AI services such as AI data services, AI data crowdsourcing platforms, or reinforcement learning from human feedback or RLHF service providers. As the interest in RLHF increases, and companies try to adopt it for their AI projects, they need assistance in finding the right service to work with.

This article compares the top 5 RLHF service providers on the market and offers a guide to helping business leaders find the right fit.

Comparing the top 5 companies offering RLHF services

Here are the tables comparing the top service providers on the market:

Table 1. RLHF service providers’ comparison of the market presence category

* The data was gathered from B2B review platforms such as G2, Trustradius, and Capterra.

Table 2: RLHF service providers’ comparison of the platform capabilities category

Notes & observations from the tables: 

• The companies selected in this comparison were based on the relevance of their services. We considered all platforms that offered reinforcement learning from human feedback as a service.
• All service providers offer API integration capabilities.
• The data used in the table is based on vendor claims.
• The platforms are ranked based on the number of reviews criterion.

How did we select the companies for the comparison?

We used the following criteria to narrow down the platforms on the market and divided the criteria into two categories.

Market presence and experience

1. User ratings

An RLHF platform’s reputation is an important factor to consider. This can be measured through the user rating score from B2B review platforms such as G2 and Trustradius. 

2. Number of reviews

Before committing, ensure the RLHF platform has enough reviews, showcasing its ability to cater to different AI program needs. More reviews on B2B review platforms indicate the company has a large user/customer base, and you can get a better understanding of the customer’s perspective of the company’s performance. 

3. Founded in

The age of the RLHF service provider helps buyers understand the experience the company has. In our experience, an older company usually has a more refined service. However, this is not always the case since some companies can offer a better service, even with less experience, due to their focus. Therefore, combine the data from this criterion with customer reviews..

Platform capabilities

4. Mobile application availability

In an increasingly mobile world, having a mobile application for the RLHF platform can significantly ease the feedback process and provide a seamless experience for both the developers and human evaluators.

5. API integration

API integration facilitates the smooth interchange of data between the RLHF platform and other systems, ensuring a streamlined workflow and quicker iterations in the learning process.

6. ISO certification

ISO certification reflects a platform’s adherence to international standards of quality and security, which is paramount in dealing with sensitive data and ensuring robust machine learning models.

7. Code of conduct

A well-defined code of conduct ensures ethical practices in data labeling and feedback provision, safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders involved. We considered if all platforms had a detailed code of conduct page on their websites.

Here is a comparison of the crowd size of all the RLHF platforms discussed in this article:

Figure 1. Crowd size comparison of the RLHF service providers

Notes:

• The data is based on vendor claims.
• Only the platforms with available crowd size data were included in this comparison.
• The platforms are ranked by size.

8. Crowd size

The larger the network of workers, the better. A large global network of workers allows for diverse and scalable solutions, helping RLHF service providers deliver on large-scale projects quickly

Company details and evaluation

This section offers a short description of all the companies mentioned in the comparison table. We also include some pros and cons identified by the customer reviews of platforms like G2 (Reviews for some platforms were not found).

1. Clickworker

Clickworker is a crowdsourcing platform specializing in micro-tasking and data labeling, connecting companies requiring data enrichment with a global workforce. It leverages both technology and human insight to help companies refine their AI models through the RLHF approach.

• Offers a diverse range of AI data and RLHF services
• Other services include AI data collection and annotation.
• Data for all types of models, including natural language processing (NLP) models, generative AI models, large language models (LLMs), machine learning models, computer vision (CV) models, etc.
• Facilitates custom AI training data solutions.

Clickworker’s pros and cons:

• The company’s crowd is considered reliable, and the platform is said to be easy to use.¹

2. Appen

Appen is a company focused on providing high-quality training data for machine learning and AI projects. Known for its reliability and scalability, it offers tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of each project, assisting companies in their venture into artificial intelligence.

• Offerings include AI data collection and annotation
• RLHF for model improvement
• Provides scalable solutions for specific AI projects.

For an in-depth evaluation of Appen, check out the following articles:

• In-depth Appen evaluation
• Top 3 Appen alternatives and their Comparison

Appen’s pros and cons:

• Appen is losing clients and is facing financial losses.²
• Easy to use platform, as mentioned by reviewers.³

3. Prolific

Prolific is a platform dedicated to providing RLHF and AI data services. It offers scalable services through a crowdsourcing platform.

• Offerings include RLHF and AI data collection.
• It is also known for its academic research data.
• Offers a user-friendly interface with easy project setup.

Prolific’s pros and cons:

• Offers good quality data and customer service.⁴

4. Surge AI

Surge AI is a company offering RLHF and data solutions, including services in NLP and computer vision, to support machine learning model development. It’s also based on a crowdsourcing model.

• Offerings include RLHF services
• Services also include AI data generation and annotation

5. Toloka AI

Toloka AI is a platform focused on data annotation and human feedback, utilizing a global workforce to provide insights for refining AI models. Its crowdsourcing platform offers scalable services for AI development projects.

• Offers RLHF, AI data, and annotation services
• Provides access to a global pool of talent for human feedback

Recommendations

Starting AI projects requires a lot of time, resources, and thought. Choosing the right RLHF platform is crucial to make sure the AI models created are strong, trustworthy, and meet human expectations. 

By carefully assessing the market presence and capabilities of different platforms, companies can reduce risks and move forward confidently in using artificial intelligence to tackle complex tasks and challenges.

Transparency statement

AIMultiple serves numerous emerging tech companies, including companies linked in this article.

Further reading

• AI Data Collection: Guide, Challenges & Methods
• Top 7 Generative AI Services & Vendors

If you need further help in finding a vendor or have any questions, feel free to contact us:

External resources

• 1. Clickworker customer review on reliability and easy-to-use platform. G2. Accessed: 03/Oct/2023.
• 2. Hayden Field, (2023). Inside the turmoil at Appen, the former AI darling that’s reeling from executive exits, big losses. CNBC. Accessed: 06/September/2023.
• 3. Appen’s positive review on easy to use platform. G2. Accessed: 16/Oct/2023.
• 4. Prolific’s positive review of data and customer service. G2. Accessed: 16/Oct.2023