Consumer tech consolidates 32+ DC projects globally

Overview

One AI/ML data program from one vendor isn't enough when you're running 32+ of them at once.

A Global Consumer Tech Company needed to consolidate 32+ data collection projects into one operational pipeline, PII and non-PII capture across 20+ countries, and the full range of in-product AI use cases.

Firstsource set up the Global Hub command center in India with spoke sites across JAPAC, North America, LATAM, and EU, delivering assets across 32+ projects.

This was Intelligence that Operates: data programs running on one quality discipline at portfolio scale, not as 32 disconnected vendors.

Challenges

• 32+ disconnected vendors don't scale into a coherent data pipeline. Running each project independently produces inconsistent quality, duplicate participant recruiting, and brand-safety gaps. A consolidated operating model is the only way to land all of it on time.
• Diversity at portfolio scale isn't a side requirement. Training in-product AI for hand gesture, face video, voice assistant, AR/VR, and storefront imaging across multiple demographics requires recruitment intentionally designed for demographic coverage, not best-effort sampling.
• PII compliance and brand safety can't be patched per project. When 32+ projects touch sensitive data across jurisdictions, every project needs the same compliance discipline ” not 32 different interpretations.

How We Made It Happen

We stood up a single global operating model, so the 32+ projects ran as one program, not 32.

• Global Hub in India + four regional spoke sites. Command center in India with spoke sites in NA, LATAM, EU, and JAPAC for in-market recruitment, quality, and labeling; one program management discipline across all of them.
• Data Annotation, OTS Data, and Multimodal Evaluation in one operating envelope. Hand gesture, face video, voice assistant, AR/VR testing, storefront imaging, and human spoofing all run inside the same quality and compliance pipeline.
• Portfolio-scale diversity by design. Participant recruitment intentionally calibrated for age, gender, skin tone, and ethnicity across 20+ countries ” not opportunistic sampling.

Conclusion

A consumer-tech company shipping AI features across 32+ products can't run 32 separate data vendors. Firstsource ran one global program at portfolio scale, turning AI/ML data collection into Intelligence that Operates.