Generalist AI training roles ask you to write prompts, judge model answers against written guidelines and explain your judgement in plain words. You do not need a specialist degree for most of them, but you do need careful reading, clear writing and consistency. The practice questions below mirror the kind of reasoning these screenings look for.

Practice questions

These are practice questions written for this site to help you prepare. No platform has said it asks these exact questions.

  1. Here are two chatbot answers to the same question. Which is better, and why?

    A good answer covers: Pick one, then justify it with concrete criteria: factual accuracy first, then whether it follows the user's instructions, then clarity and tone. Point to specific sentences rather than general impressions.

  2. The guideline says one thing, but your common sense says another. What do you do?

    A good answer covers: Follow the guideline, note the conflict in your comment, and raise it through the project's feedback channel. Show you understand that consistency across raters matters more than personal preference.

  3. Write a prompt that a current chatbot is likely to get wrong.

    A good answer covers: A prompt with a clear, checkable answer that needs several steps or a subtle constraint (word counts, dates, negations). Explain why it is hard and what the correct answer is.

  4. How would you rate an answer that is correct but much longer than needed?

    A good answer covers: Separate correctness from helpfulness. A correct but padded answer should score lower on concision or instruction following, not on accuracy. Mention the rubric dimension you would use.

  5. A model answer contains a claim you cannot verify quickly. How do you handle it?

    A good answer covers: Check a reliable source within the time allowed; if you still cannot verify it, flag it as unverified rather than guessing. Never mark it correct on trust.

  6. What does a good written justification for a rating look like?

    A good answer covers: Short, specific and tied to the rubric: what is wrong, where it is, and why it matters. Someone who did not see the task should understand your score.

  7. How do you keep quality steady over a long session of repetitive tasks?

    A good answer covers: Breaks, re-reading the guidelines, spot-checking your own earlier work, and stopping when tired. Mention that speed never comes before accuracy.

  8. A response is polite and well written but refuses a harmless request. How do you score it?

    A good answer covers: An unnecessary refusal is a helpfulness failure. Score it down on helpfulness and explain that the request was safe.

  9. Explain a complex topic you know well to a 12-year-old in five sentences.

    A good answer covers: Tests plain writing. Use short sentences, one concrete example, no jargon, and check that the facts stay correct after simplifying.

  10. What would you do if you noticed another contributor's work was copied from a chatbot?

    A good answer covers: Report it through the official channel described in the project rules, without confronting the person. Show that you understand why AI-generated training data is usually forbidden.

What the platforms say about the assessment

In the 9 October 2026 data, roles in this group came from Innodata, Meridial, Welo Data (Welocalize), micro1, RWS TrainAI, Terac, xAI and SME Careers. Each platform runs its own process, and steps can differ by role. Below is what each platform's public pages or postings say, followed by lines quoted from current postings in this group.

Innodata

  • Innodata postings describe the work and the hourly range but do not describe the screening steps.
  • Postings state that Innodata will never ask for payment, banking details or sensitive personal information during the application process.

Source: boards-api.greenhouse.io

Meridial

  • Meridial postings describe the work and requirements but do not describe the screening steps.
  • Postings say contractors supply their own secure computer and internet connection, and recording roles add a high-quality microphone and recording setup. Company benefits such as health insurance do not apply.
  • We could not confirm Meridial's selection steps from a public page; treat the posting itself as the guide.

Source: boards-api.greenhouse.io

Welo Data (Welocalize)

  • Welo Data's join page lists these steps: apply, create a Welo Works account, take a Language and Cultural Assessment, optional study materials, a qualification exam, then payment setup and agreement.
  • Many postings say there is no formal interview and the process is automated. Several mention learning modules and a quality test designed by the client; translation roles may include a translation test.
  • Welo Data says it only contacts applicants from @welocalize.com, @weloglobal.com, @hire.lever.co and @welodata.ai addresses and never asks for fees.

Source: welodata.ai

micro1

  • micro1's experts page describes four steps: apply for opportunities, take the AI interview, get onboarded, start earning.
  • Postings commonly list screening questions, then an AI interview, then in some roles a technical assessment, then a review by the hiring manager. Interview lengths stated in postings range from about 10 to 30 minutes.
  • Some postings ask you to complete the interview and assessment without outside assistance.
  • micro1's FAQ says certification does not guarantee immediate placement on a project.

Source: www.micro1.ai

RWS TrainAI

  • Some RWS TrainAI postings say you must pass training modules and a required test created by the client before starting work.
  • Other postings mention language knowledge assessments, an evaluation test to complete within 48 hours of receiving it, and onboarding and calibration sessions.

Source: api.lever.co

Terac

  • Terac's expert docs describe signing in with LinkedIn, verifying your phone, connecting LinkedIn or adding a resume, and a short voice conversation of about 10 minutes that the docs say you can skip and take later.
  • Each opportunity then has its own steps, usually screening questions followed by the tasks themselves. Research postings describe remote video or voice interviews of 30 to 90 minutes.

Source: terac.com

xAI

  • xAI postings say role-specific details are given during the interview process. They do not describe the steps publicly.
  • Basic qualifications in postings include native proficiency for language roles and a portfolio for video and creative roles.

Source: boards-api.greenhouse.io

SME Careers

  • Many SME Careers postings state: 'Selection process involves an AI interview, a domain-specific task, and an interview with a recruiter.'
  • Many postings also say there is no immediate project for the role, and that qualified applicants will be contacted first when relevant opportunities arise.

Sources: sme.careers, api.sme.careers

Quoted from current postings

"Complete a device compatibility check and an AI-enabled interview during onboarding."

Data-Video Generalist (US-based), micro1

"Specific details and role specific information will be provided to you during the interview process."

AI Tutor - Humanities, xai

"Selection process involves an AI interview, a domain-specific task, and an interview with a recruiter."

Red-Teaming Quality Assurance Lead (QAL), sme

"Completion of a language assessment, learning module, and a mandatory quality test is required prior to starting work."

Entry-Level AI Data Rater - Dutch, welocalize

"Must pass training and a required quality test before starting work"

Entry-Level AI Data Rater - Swedish (Sweden), welocalize

Steps were read from public pages and postings, not tested first-hand. Passing a screening does not guarantee a project, hours or pay.

Terms to know

Preference ranking

A task where you see two or more model answers to the same prompt and order them from best to worst, usually with a short reason.

Rubric

A written list of criteria and scores used to judge a response, for example accuracy, instruction following and tone, each with clear pass or fail descriptions.

Guidelines

The project's written instructions that define how to do a task and how to judge answers. On most projects they take precedence over personal preference.

Rationale

The short written explanation you give for a rating or ranking. Reviewers often weigh it as much as the rating itself.

Instruction following

Whether a model did exactly what was asked, including constraints such as length, format, language or things to avoid.

Rewrite

A task where you fix a model's answer so it is correct, complete and follows the guidelines, instead of only scoring it.

Sources