Synopsis:
'Humans In The Loop' essays the story of an indigenous woman who begins interacting with AI while working in a remote data centre in Jharkhand.
After enduring decades of name-calling and taunts that echoed deep-rooted biases against her community, Nehma makes the difficult decision to separate from her partner. Seeking solace and a fresh start, she returns to her ancestral village with her children. To support her family, she takes on an unexpected role as a data labeler- training algorithms to recognize and differentiate between objects, with the same patience and precision as a parent guiding a child. As she delves deeper into her work, Nehma begins to uncover the subtle yet persistent human biases embedded within AI systems, prompting her to question whether technology can ever truly reflect an Indigenous worldview.
The film is based on a real phenomenon happening in various indigenous regions of India, where tech companies have established backend offices for "data labeling." Data labeling is a process that involves meta-tagging thousands of images and videos to teach an algorithm to recognize and differentiate between objects—essentially, becoming the first step in machine learning.
The outsourcing of this labor to rural areas is driven by the availability of cheap labor for this tedious task. However, the intersection between indigenous communities and AI presents a powerful opportunity to explore a larger narrative about humanity’s future. The work of data labeling mirrors the process of parenting, where the laborer takes on the role of a parent and AI assumes that of a child. This opens up a much broader conversation: Is AI (the child) a blank slate, or does it inherit the biases of its human creators?
The concept of data labeling was first highlighted in a 2019 New York Times article (link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/16/technology/ai-humans.html) and Karishma Mehrotra's article- 'The Human Touch' which served as the foundation for our film.
Finalist for the Sloan Distribution Grant- Oppenheimer earlier received a Sloan Award for storytelling
FIPRESCI Award for Best Feature Film (International Critic's Guild Award), 2025 jointly shared with 'All We Imagine As Light'
New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF '25); Won 'Best Debut Film'
Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA '25); Won the Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film
International Film Festival of Bengaluru (BIFFes '25); Won 'Best Film'
International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK, '24)
Cinevesture International Film Festival
Dialogue Film Festival of Kerala '24
Bhubaneshwar Film Festival '24
Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI '24); Nominated for the Gender Sensitivity Award
Hollywood Reporter India: https://www.
The Times Of India: https://timesofindia.
The Deccan Herald: https://www.
The Indian Express: https://
The New Indian Express: https://www.
