Deccan AI (Soul AI) reviews · researched 2 Nov 2026
Is Deccan AI (Soul AI) legit?
Mostly. Deccan AI (Deccan.ai, Inc.) is a real AI data company that raised a $25 million Series A in March 2026 and pays contributors twice a month, but entry is by invite from a waitlist and most of its work goes to India. Getting in and getting hours are both uncertain: applications sit on a waitlist until shortlisted, and the few public reviews describe little work, approved tasks paid late or rejected after approval, and pay rules changed without notice.
- Trustpilot2.8/53 reviews
- Read 2 Nov 2026
The Deccan AI (Soul AI) review
Researched Nov 2026 · 6 sourcesIt pays ~$10-$700/hr by its founder's account; rates set per project (third-party reports).
Joined through its own application (it publishes no job postings)
Rukesh Reddy (IIT Bombay, IIM Ahmedabad) founded Deccan in October 2024 to supply post-training data, evaluations and RL environments to AI labs. Based in the Bay Area with a large team in Hyderabad, it told TechCrunch (25 Mar 2026) its customers include Google DeepMind and Snowflake as it raised $25 million led by A91 Partners, with SIG and Prosus Ventures. Its 18 May 2026 terms are a contract with Deccan.ai, Inc., a Delaware company, and its Indian arm.
Projects pay per task, per hour or both, with rates shared before you start. Payouts run on the 2nd and 17th of each month, in US dollars to PayPal or in rupees by NEFT bank transfer, once your ID, bank account and tax form (W-9 or W-8BEN) are verified (help center, read 2 Nov 2026). You work as an independent contractor.
Trustpilot 2.8/5 (3 reviews). Read November 2026.
India-first: most contributors are in India, and Deccan has begun sourcing in a few other markets, including the US for niche geospatial and semiconductor-design skills (its founder to TechCrunch, 25 Mar 2026). It publishes no country list; its help center has bank forms for India, the US and SWIFT countries elsewhere (read 2 Nov 2026).
We found no reports of fake recruiters using Deccan's name (searched 2 Nov 2026). Sign-up is only Continue with Google at authentication.deccanexperts.ai, and support is support@deccanexperts.ai or tickets inside the platform. Deccan warns that real support never asks for verification codes or full bank credentials. Never pay to join.
What people praise
- Deccan's help center gives fixed payout dates (the 2nd and 17th) and an activity log showing the tasks, pay per task and gross earning behind every payment, with a Get Help button on each one.
- Its training and evaluation stage, before paid project work, is described as hands-on real work that is usually paid.
What people complain about
- A Trustpilot reviewer (13 May 2026) says they got only 6 to 7 hours of work in 5 months, were not paid for it, and kept hitting problems updating bank details.
- Another (7 Jun 2026) says approved tasks are not paid within the agreed timeline and some tasks are rejected after approval.
- A third (29 Jul 2026) says deadlines and pay rules change without notice, payments are held under review and support sends copy-pasted replies; Deccan had replied to no review by 2 Nov 2026.
- Deccan's terms (updated 18 May 2026) let it withhold, reverse or deny pay when a customer rejects the work or quality is judged deficient, and say project work is not guaranteed.
Best for: Graduates, PhDs and domain experts, especially in India, who can wait on a waitlist and want part-time prompt writing, ranking and evaluation work paid twice a month in dollars or rupees. Not for: Anyone who needs steady hours or a quick start, wants to see open roles and rates before applying, or does not have a Google account to sign up with.
Honest catches
- Pay here is third-party reports, not measured live from a job feed, so treat it as a benchmark rather than a guaranteed rate.
Sources for this review
- TechCrunch: Mercor competitor Deccan AI raises $25M, sources experts from India (25 Mar 2026, updated 30 Mar 2026)
- Deccan AI Experts: homepage and FAQ (invite pathway, waitlist, payment cycles, leadership, support email; read 2 Nov 2026)
- Deccan AI Experts: Help Center (sign-up, Work Authorisation, earnings, payouts, support; read 2 Nov 2026)
- Deccan.ai, Inc.: Terms of Service (last updated May 18, 2026; read 2 Nov 2026)
- Trustpilot: Deccan AI Experts reviews (2.8/5 from 3 reviews, read 2 Nov 2026)
- FTC Consumer Alert: That job offer text is probably a scam (30 Apr 2026)
Got a message from Deccan AI (Soul AI)?
Its real sites: deccanexperts.ai. Real email from support@deccanexperts.ai. Paste the message to check the links, the sender and the pay.
Deccan AI (Soul AI) publishes no public job board, so this review rests on the sources listed with it, not on a measurement of its listings.
Deccan AI (Soul AI) reviews: questions
Is Deccan AI (Soul AI) legit?
Mostly. Deccan AI (Deccan.ai, Inc.) is a real AI data company that raised a $25 million Series A in March 2026 and pays contributors twice a month, but entry is by invite from a waitlist and most of its work goes to India. Getting in and getting hours are both uncertain: applications sit on a waitlist until shortlisted, and the few public reviews describe little work, approved tasks paid late or rejected after approval, and pay rules changed without notice.
Is Deccan AI (Soul AI) a scam?
No. Deccan AI (Soul AI) is a real company. We found no reports of fake recruiters using Deccan's name (searched 2 Nov 2026). Sign-up is only Continue with Google at authentication.deccanexperts.ai, and support is support@deccanexperts.ai or tickets inside the platform. Deccan warns that real support never asks for verification codes or full bank credentials. Never pay to join.
Does Deccan AI (Soul AI) pay?
Yes. Institutionally backed (a $25M Series A in March 2026 led by A91 Partners, with Google DeepMind and Snowflake as customers, the company told TechCrunch). Its 3 Trustpilot reviews (2.8/5, read 2 Nov 2026) report little work and late or withheld pay. Payouts: Twice a month, on or after the 2nd and the 17th: USD to PayPal or INR by NEFT bank transfer, once Work Authorisation (a government ID, a bank account in your legal name and a W-9 or W-8BEN tax form) is verified; contributors in India also give their PAN at onboarding (its help center, deccanexperts.ai/help-center, read 2 Nov 2026). Projects pay per task, per hour or both, with rates shared before you start. Payouts run on the 2nd and 17th of each month, in US dollars to PayPal or in rupees by NEFT bank transfer, once your ID, bank account and tax form (W-9 or W-8BEN) are verified (help center, read 2 Nov 2026). You work as an independent contractor.
What do workers say about Deccan AI (Soul AI)?
Trustpilot 2.8/5 (3 reviews), read November 2026. Praise: Deccan's help center gives fixed payout dates (the 2nd and 17th) and an activity log showing the tasks, pay per task and gross earning behind every payment, with a Get Help button on each one. Complaints: A Trustpilot reviewer (13 May 2026) says they got only 6 to 7 hours of work in 5 months, were not paid for it, and kept hitting problems updating bank details.
How do I spot a fake Deccan AI (Soul AI) recruiter?
We found no reports of fake recruiters using Deccan's name (searched 2 Nov 2026). Sign-up is only Continue with Google at authentication.deccanexperts.ai, and support is support@deccanexperts.ai or tickets inside the platform. Deccan warns that real support never asks for verification codes or full bank credentials. Never pay to join.
Who is Deccan AI (Soul AI) for?
Best for: Graduates, PhDs and domain experts, especially in India, who can wait on a waitlist and want part-time prompt writing, ranking and evaluation work paid twice a month in dollars or rupees. Not for: Anyone who needs steady hours or a quick start, wants to see open roles and rates before applying, or does not have a Google account to sign up with.