Scale AI vs Surge AI
Scale AI and Surge AI are both expert data labs, so they compete for similar buyers. They share 3 of their data types and differ in 1 others.
Last reviewed
Side by side
| Attribute | Scale AI | Surge AI |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Expert data lab | Expert data lab |
| Founded | 2016 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, US | San Francisco, US |
| Data types | RLHF and preference data, Supervised fine-tuning data, Evaluation sets, Multimodal training data | RLHF and preference data, Supervised fine-tuning data, Evaluation sets |
| Pricing models | Per-task, Per-hour expert labor, Enterprise contract | Per-task, Per-hour expert labor, Project contract |
| Buyers | Frontier labs, enterprises, government agencies | Frontier AI labs |
| Supply side | Not an open marketplace; it employs and contracts its own annotator and expert workforce. | Closed workforce; not a marketplace. |
How they differ
- Only Scale AI lists Multimodal training data.
- Scale AI uses enterprise contract, which Surge AI does not list.
- Surge AI uses project contract, which Scale AI does not list.
- Scale AI was founded in 2016, earlier than Surge AI in 2020.
- Both list rlhf and preference data, supervised fine-tuning data, evaluation sets.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Scale AI if you need multimodal training data.
- Choose Surge AI if its expert data lab model matches how you buy.
This comparison uses public descriptions only and does not rank quality. Test both against your own specification with a pilot.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between Scale AI and Surge AI?
- Scale AI and Surge AI are both expert data labs, so they compete for similar buyers. They share 3 of their data types and differ in 1 others. Only Scale AI lists Multimodal training data.
- Which is cheaper, Scale AI or Surge AI?
- Neither publishes a full price list. Scale AI uses per-task, per-hour expert labor, enterprise contract; Surge AI uses per-task, per-hour expert labor, project contract. Request quotes for the same specification from both.
- Can I use Scale AI and Surge AI together?
- Yes. Many buyers use two vendors to compare quality and avoid dependence on one.
Editorial note. No company listed here pays for placement or has reviewed its entry. AI Data Auction is building its own auction marketplace and will label any commercial relationship with a listed company. Figures are as reported by the named source on the stated date; check the primary source before relying on them. See our methodology.