My friend (who is now in college), and his hostel roomie have recently opened a new ‘organisation’ (ig?) based on AI. And by ‘organisation’ I mean one page in each Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and one AI generated website (afaik). My friend had hired me to join their project, but when I asked for its vision his answer was "Something related to AI," but what related to AI? "We’ll figure it out," he replied. This project had no vision. However, I decided to join, but as an editor. I made 1 short video as they wanted me to (they’re being guided by gpt), and now they’re asking for a 10 more within 5 days. As a video editor myself, it takes time and efforts to build even a proper only-text-reel. Their point is "We’re also putting in a lot of efforts, so you should too." But that doesn’t explain the vision of the project, neither does it elaborate the ‘efforts’ they’re putting in. I am a student myself, and I’ve got my entrance exams in less than 2 months. Other than that, I have 2 different channels of my own that I need to maintain. I feel like I’m being pressurized to work without wages for a project with no specific ambition. I’m willing to quit, but I’m afraid it would be rude.
NTA. You don’t owe your friends anything in regards to supporting them with free labor. If you want to help, say you’ll do so after the exams or when you have time.
Guys, when can we expect to see returns on our investment of time? …that long? In that case, I need to take a step back and focus on my education, and I’ll have to slow down a bit to make sure I’m handling all of my responsibilities across all ventures.
Oh yeah it sounds like they just don’t understand how much effort any kind of project takes. I can’t blame them for drinking the kool-aid, AI’s being peddled as the cure-all to literally everything. Tell them that you can’t really get involved or give them more efforts without understanding what their vision is, that you have to focus on exams, and back out. At the very least, ask them to give you a list of other projects that they’re inspired by! Cajoling them down the path of trying to identify their desires might make them realise how fruitless their grand new venture is right now, lol. Alternatively, invite them to sit in and see how much effort it takes you at every step of the video production pipeline.
NTA, don’t give them anymore unpaid effort on your part.
is he paying you actual wages? Like what you would get in a real job?
then see it this way: better than stacking shelves in a supermarket.
But NTA