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This article applies critical disability studies and theory of accumulation by dispossession to analyze the dynamics within China\u2019s data labeling industry. We examine the interplay among capital, central and local governments, Disabled People\u2019s Organizations (DPOs), and workers with disabilities in the AI data labeling value chain. Our findings highlight the pivotal role of DPOs in reallocating surplus labor and capital across spatial and temporal dimensions. By supplementing functions traditionally associated with government entities, these organizations significantly influence the industry\u2019s landscape. Furthermore, we reveal how DPOs foster labor agency, creating spaces for work dignity among workers with disabilities. Through their efforts to navigate and mitigate algorithmic control, DPOs contribute to a more inclusive labor environment, challenging societal norms.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/14614448251320114","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,27]],"date-time":"2025-02-27T06:55:57Z","timestamp":1740639357000},"page":"2058-2078","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The space-time game: Workers with disabilities in China\u2019s AI data labeling industry"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"28","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6020-9960","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bingqing","family":"Xia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"East China Normal University, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1184-4498","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tongyu","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zhejiang University, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_5_2_1","unstructured":"Chinese Government (2022) Chengxiang canjiren jiuye guimo da 881.6 wanren. 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