Polymath Fellowsby Polymath
Fellows Login

Terms of Use

Last updated: Aug 25th, 2026

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS OF USE CAREFULLY. These Terms of Use (these “Terms”) are a binding legal agreement between you (“you,” “Fellow,” or “Contractor”) and Polymath AI Labs, Inc. (“Polymath,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). These Terms govern your access to and use of Polymath's website, application portal, project and research tooling, and related services (collectively, the “Platform”), whether you are browsing the Platform, applying to become a Polymath Fellow, completing onboarding, or actively performing paid work through the Platform.

BY CREATING AN ACCOUNT, SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION, CLICKING “I AGREE,” OR OTHERWISE ACCESSING OR USING THE PLATFORM, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS, INCLUDING THE MANDATORY ARBITRATION PROVISION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER IN SECTION 21. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE, DO NOT ACCESS OR USE THE PLATFORM.

If you are engaged on a specific Project, you and Polymath will typically also enter into a project-specific independent contractor agreement (a “Consulting Agreement”). The Consulting Agreement will control over these Terms with respect to any conflict for that Project; these Terms otherwise continue to apply to your general use of the Platform. To maintain fairness across the Fellow community, Polymath uses a standardized Consulting Agreement, with variations only where required by local law, and is generally not able to accommodate individually negotiated changes. If you have questions or concerns about a clause, contact support@polymathlabs.ai.

1. Who These Terms Apply To; What Fellows Do

These Terms apply to (a) individuals who visit or browse the Platform; (b) individuals who submit an application, complete an assessment, or otherwise seek to become an independent contractor of Polymath (“Applicants”); and (c) individuals who are approved to perform, and do perform, paid work through the Platform as independent contractors (“Fellows” or “Contractors,” and together with Applicants, “Workers,” “you”). References to “you” apply to whichever category describes your relationship to Polymath at the relevant time.

Polymath is an applied research lab that builds data, evaluations, and reinforcement learning (“RL”) environments used to train and test frontier AI models on engineering and science tasks. Fellows are subject-matter experts who identify gaps in current models and design, build, test, and improve the Tasks used to teach and evaluate those models within the Fellow's domain of expertise. This is research and engineering work—not data labeling or annotation—and may include, for example, constructing or hardening RL environments, writing reference solutions and grading criteria, authoring or reviewing evaluation suites and benchmarks, and red-teaming model behavior.

Polymath connects Fellows with projects submitted by Polymath's clients or by Polymath itself (each, a “Client”) (each engagement, a “Project,” and each unit of research or engineering work within a Project—for example, building an RL environment, authoring an evaluation, or writing a reference solution—a “Task”).

2. Eligibility

To use the Platform or perform any Task, you must:

  • be at least 18 years old, or the age of legal majority in your jurisdiction of residence, whichever is greater;
  • have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract;
  • be legally permitted to work as an independent contractor in your country and, where applicable, state or province of residence, including holding any required work authorization, business registration, or tax registration;
  • not be located in, or a national or resident of, any country or region subject to comprehensive U.S. trade sanctions, and not be listed on any U.S. government restricted-party or denied-persons list; and
  • provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and keep that information up to date.

Polymath may verify your eligibility at any time, including through identity verification, sanctions and denied-party screening, and tax-documentation checks, and may suspend or deny access pending verification. Polymath reserves the right to accept or decline any Applicant, and to determine which Fellows are invited to particular Projects, in its sole discretion.

No visa sponsorship or work-authorization support. Polymath does not sponsor immigration visas of any kind (including H-1B) for Fellows, and is not able to sign Form I-983 or otherwise support STEM OPT curricular practical training arrangements. You are solely responsible for confirming that you are legally authorized to perform independent contractor services from your location, and, if you hold other status (such as a student visa, employment visa, or OPT/CPT authorization), that engaging with Polymath as a Fellow is permitted under that status.

3. Independent Contractor Relationship

No employment relationship. You acknowledge and agree that, if you are approved to perform Tasks, you will do so solely as an independent contractor, and not as an employee, agent, partner, joint venturer, or franchisee of Polymath or of any Client. Nothing in these Terms creates an employment, agency, partnership, or joint-venture relationship between you and Polymath.

As an independent contractor, you:

  • control the manner and means by which you complete Tasks, subject to Project instructions, quality standards, and applicable deadlines;
  • determine, within any windows Polymath makes available, whether, when, and how much to work, and are free to decline any Task or Project offered to you;
  • are free to perform services for other companies, including competitors of Polymath, except to the extent doing so would violate your confidentiality obligations under Section 9 or a signed Consulting Agreement;
  • are solely responsible for your own tools, equipment, workspace, internet access, and business expenses, except where a Project specifically provides otherwise;
  • are solely responsible for determining how to perform the work, provided that you comply with Project instructions and Polymath's quality and conduct requirements; and
  • are not entitled to employee benefits of any kind from Polymath, including health insurance, retirement benefits, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, paid leave, or overtime pay.

If any government authority or court determines that you are an employee, joint employee, or worker (as opposed to an independent contractor) of Polymath or any Client under applicable law notwithstanding this Section, Polymath's obligations will be limited to those legally required for that classification, and Polymath reserves the right to modify or terminate the relationship to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law.

You are not authorized to make any representation, warranty, or commitment on behalf of Polymath or any Client, and you may not hold yourself out as an employee or agent of Polymath or any Client.

4. Accounts and Applications

To apply for work, you must create an account and, where requested, submit information such as your legal name, contact details, location, work history, skills, language proficiency, and identity or tax documentation. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify Polymath promptly of any unauthorized use of your account.

You may not: (a) create more than one account without Polymath's prior written consent; (b) share your account, login credentials, or Task access with any other person; (c) allow any other person to complete Tasks assigned to you, including through automated tools, bots, or subcontractors, unless a Project expressly permits delegation; or (d) misrepresent your identity, qualifications, location, or eligibility.

5. Assessments, Qualifications, and Onboarding

Before or during your engagement, Polymath may require you to complete identity verification, skills assessments, qualification exams, training modules, background or reference checks (where permitted by law), or Project-specific onboarding. Polymath may use your performance on assessments and Tasks to determine your eligibility for current or future Projects, your pay tier, and your continued access to the Platform. Assessments and unpaid onboarding, if any, will be identified as such; Polymath will comply with applicable law regarding whether and when such activities must be compensated.

6. No Guarantee of Work; Scheduling

Access to the Platform, completion of onboarding, or prior receipt of Tasks does not guarantee any minimum amount of work, income, or continued access to any Project. Availability of Tasks and Projects varies over time and is not within Polymath's control in every respect, as it depends on Client demand. Polymath may open, pause, modify, or close any Project or Task category at any time, with or without notice.

You are free to accept or decline any Task or Project invitation. Once you accept a Task, you are expected to complete it in accordance with the applicable instructions and deadlines, or to release it promptly if you are unable to do so, so that it may be reassigned.

7. Compensation and Payment

Compensation for each Project or Task will be described in the Project instructions, rate card, or a separate Consulting Agreement made available to you before you begin work (“Project Terms”). Where Project Terms and these Terms conflict on compensation, the Project Terms control for that Project.

  • Rates and structure. Compensation may be structured as an hourly rate, a per-Task or per-unit rate, a fixed Project fee, or another structure disclosed to you in advance. Polymath will not change the rate applicable to work you have already completed.
  • Payment method and schedule. Payments are processed through Stripe (or another payment processor Polymath designates) and deposited to the bank account you connect, on the schedule described in the Platform, subject to successful identity and tax-documentation verification through that processor. Payment currency and any currency conversion depend on your country.
  • Quality review and holds. Polymath and Clients may review submitted work for quality, accuracy, and compliance with Project instructions. Polymath may withhold, delay, offset, or decline payment for work that is rejected for material failure to follow Project instructions, that is fraudulent, plagiarized, or generated in violation of Section 13, or that otherwise breaches these Terms, in each case as described in the applicable Project Terms and subject to any required notice or dispute process under applicable law.
  • Fees and currency. Any platform, processing, or currency-conversion fees associated with your chosen payment method are disclosed in the Platform and may reduce your net payout.
  • No guarantee of specific earnings. Any estimated hourly or per-Task rates displayed on the Platform are estimates only and are not a guarantee of your actual earnings, which depend on your speed, accuracy, and the availability of work.

8. Taxes

You are solely responsible for determining and paying all taxes, contributions, and filings arising from amounts paid to you under these Terms, including income tax, self-employment tax, VAT/GST, and any other applicable taxes in your jurisdiction. Polymath does not withhold local income taxes from your payments. If you are a U.S. person, Polymath will issue you an IRS Form 1099-NEC where required, based on the IRS Form W-9 you complete through Stripe. If you are not a U.S. person, you will complete an IRS Form W-8BEN (or successor form) through Stripe so that U.S. withholding tax does not apply to your business income; in that case Polymath will not issue you a Form 1099. You agree to provide accurate and current tax documentation promptly upon request, and you acknowledge that Polymath may suspend payments until valid tax documentation is on file. Polymath does not provide legal or tax advice; consult a qualified professional in your jurisdiction with questions about your own tax obligations.

9. Confidentiality

In connection with your use of the Platform, you may receive or have access to non-public information belonging to Polymath or its Clients, including Project instructions, source data, prompts, model outputs, Client identities, business and technical information, and the terms of any Project (collectively, “Confidential Information”). Confidential Information does not include information that is or becomes publicly available through no fault of yours, that you already lawfully possessed without confidentiality restrictions, or that you independently develop without reference to the Confidential Information.

You agree to:

  • use Confidential Information solely to perform your Tasks;
  • not disclose Confidential Information to any third party, including on social media, public forums, or with other Workers, except as required to perform a Task or as required by law after providing Polymath prompt notice where legally permitted;
  • not disclose the existence or content of any Project, including which Client it relates to, unless expressly authorized;
  • not use Confidential Information to train, fine-tune, evaluate, or otherwise develop any artificial intelligence or machine learning model outside the scope of an authorized Task; and
  • take reasonable measures to protect Confidential Information from unauthorized access or disclosure, including securing any device or account used to access the Platform.

These confidentiality obligations survive termination of your access to the Platform and continue for as long as the relevant information remains confidential. Nothing in this Section limits any rights you may have under Section 7 of the U.S. National Labor Relations Act or similar protections under applicable law, including your right to discuss the terms and conditions of your work with other Workers.

10. Public Communications and Social Media

Fellows work on sensitive projects for a range of Clients. This Section applies to LinkedIn and other professional networks, your resume, X, personal blogs, podcasts, YouTube, Discord servers, group chats, and any other public or semi-public forum, as well as discussions with current or prospective employers.

10.1 Referring to Polymath

While actively engaged on a Project, or after completing one, you may list Polymath as a company you contracted with, provided you were not removed from the Platform for a violation of these Terms, and provided you:

  • append “[Contract]” to your job title (for example, “Machine Learning Fellow [Contract]”); and
  • set the employment type to “Contract” wherever the platform you are posting on allows you to specify one.

You may describe your work at a high level (for example, “built and reviewed RL environments for the software-engineering domain”, or “contributed subject-matter expertise to AI training workflows”). You may also share your general experience contracting with Polymath, describe onboarding or the interview process at a high level, and leave honest reviews of Polymath on sites such as Glassdoor or Trustpilot.

10.2 What You May Not Do

You may not:

  • name or identify any Client, or list a Client as your employer, in any public or professional forum;
  • state or imply that you are, or were, a full-time employee of Polymath;
  • invent or exaggerate a job title, seniority level, or set of responsibilities;
  • post, share, or otherwise disclose screenshots, prompts, sample outputs, Task content, or any other material that could reveal a Client's identity or a Project's details, even if paraphrased; or
  • reuse Work Product you produced for Polymath or a Client in any other context, paid or unpaid.

This Section is in addition to, and does not limit, your confidentiality obligations under Section 9.

11. Intellectual Property

11.1 Work Product

Except as otherwise stated in a Project's instructions or a Consulting Agreement, all deliverables, RL environments, environment code and configuration, evaluation suites, reference solutions, grading and scoring logic, benchmarks, datasets, transcripts, written content, and other output you create in the course of performing a Task (“Work Product”) are works made for hire to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. To the extent any Work Product does not qualify as a work made for hire, you hereby irrevocably assign to Polymath, or to the Client designated in the applicable Project Terms, all right, title, and interest in and to the Work Product, including all intellectual property rights therein, effective upon creation, in exchange for the compensation described in Section 7. You agree to execute any documents reasonably necessary to perfect this assignment.

11.2 Moral Rights and Further Assurances

To the extent permitted by law, you waive any moral rights or similar rights in the Work Product, and agree not to assert them against Polymath, its Clients, or their successors and licensees.

11.3 Polymath IP

The Platform, and all software, text, graphics, trademarks, and other materials made available on or through it (excluding Work Product and any Project-specific source data), are owned by Polymath or its licensors and are protected by intellectual property laws. Polymath grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Platform solely to apply for and perform Tasks in accordance with these Terms. You may not copy, modify, reverse-engineer, scrape, or create derivative works of the Platform, except as necessary to complete an authorized Task.

11.4 Feedback

If you provide Polymath with suggestions, ideas, or feedback about the Platform, Polymath may use that feedback without restriction or obligation to you.

12. Data Privacy

Polymath's collection and use of your personal information is described in Polymath's Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. In the course of performing Tasks, you may process personal information contained in source data provided by a Client. You agree to handle any such personal information in accordance with the Project instructions, applicable data protection law, and Section 9 (Confidentiality), and not to use it for any purpose other than completing the Task.

13. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

  • submit fraudulent, plagiarized, AI-generated-and-undisclosed (where disclosure is required by Project instructions), or otherwise dishonest work product;
  • use bots, scripts, macros, or other automated means, or undisclosed generative AI tools, to complete a Task unless expressly permitted by the applicable Project instructions; where a Project instruction does not clearly address this, ask before assuming automation or AI assistance is permitted;
  • misrepresent your qualifications, identity, location, or the number of people completing work under your account;
  • attempt to identify, contact, or solicit a Client, or another Worker's personal contact information obtained through the Platform, for purposes outside the scope of an authorized Task;
  • upload, submit, or generate content that is unlawful, infringing, defamatory, harassing, or that violates the rights of any third party, except where doing so is an authorized part of a red-teaming or safety-evaluation Task and is confined to the designated Task environment;
  • attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Platform, other Workers' accounts, or Client systems, or to probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Platform except as expressly authorized by a security-testing Task;
  • reverse-engineer, extract, or attempt to recreate any Client's underlying model, training pipeline, or proprietary systems from Task content; or
  • engage in any conduct that Polymath reasonably determines is harmful to Polymath, a Client, another Worker, or the integrity of the Platform.

Violation of this Section may result in withholding of payment for the affected work to the extent permitted by law, suspension or termination of your account, and, where warranted, referral to law enforcement.

14. Equipment, Software, and Security

Except where a Project provides equipment or a stipend, you are responsible for providing your own computer, internet connection, and any software needed to complete Tasks. You are responsible for maintaining reasonable security on any device used to access the Platform or Client data, including up-to-date operating systems, malware protection, and password protection, and for not accessing the Platform over unsecured public networks when handling Confidential Information.

15. Non-Solicitation

During your engagement with Polymath and for twelve (12) months afterward, you agree not to directly or indirectly solicit any Client you were introduced to or learned the identity of through the Platform, for the purpose of providing services that compete with the Platform, without Polymath's prior written consent. This Section does not restrict you from performing services for a Client through a separate, unrelated business relationship that did not arise from your use of the Platform.

16. Representations and Warranties

You represent and warrant that: (a) you have the right to enter into these Terms and to perform the Tasks you accept; (b) your performance of Tasks will not violate any obligation you owe to any other person or entity, including any employer, prior confidentiality agreement, or non-compete; (c) all Work Product you submit will be your own original work, except where a Task expressly authorizes use of AI tools or third-party materials, and any such use will be disclosed as required by the Project instructions; and (d) you will comply with all applicable laws in the performance of Tasks.

17. Term; Suspension and Termination

These Terms take effect when you first access the Platform and continue until terminated as described in this Section.

  • By you. You may stop using the Platform, decline further Tasks, and close your account at any time.
  • By Polymath. Polymath may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform, or your eligibility for any Project, at any time and for any lawful reason or no reason, with or without notice, including for breach of these Terms, extended inactivity, fraud, quality concerns, or the discontinuation of a Project.
  • Effect of termination. Upon termination, your license to access the Platform ends, and you must cease use of, and where instructed, delete or return, any Confidential Information and Client data in your possession. Polymath will pay you for Tasks properly completed and accepted before termination, in accordance with Section 7 and the applicable Project Terms.
  • Survival. Sections 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 23, and any other provision that by its nature should survive, survive termination of these Terms.

18. Disclaimers

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. POLYMATH DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT ANY MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TASKS, PROJECTS, OR EARNINGS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU AT ANY TIME.

19. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, POLYMATH AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AFFILIATES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, OR ANTICIPATED EARNINGS, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. POLYMATH'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS (US$100), OR (B) THE TOTAL AMOUNT POLYMATH PAID TO YOU UNDER THESE TERMS IN THE THREE (3) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations of liability, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you.

20. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Polymath and its officers, directors, employees, and affiliates from and against any third-party claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) your Work Product or other content you submit, except to the extent it was created strictly in accordance with Project instructions; (c) your violation of any law or third-party right; or (d) any dispute regarding your classification as an independent contractor to the extent arising from your own misrepresentation.

21. Dispute Resolution; Arbitration Agreement; Class Action Waiver

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT AND TO HAVE A JURY TRIAL.

21.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing a claim, you and Polymath agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute informally by contacting the other party and engaging in good-faith discussions for at least thirty (30) days.

21.2 Binding Arbitration

If a dispute is not resolved informally, you and Polymath agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, your use of the Platform, or your engagement as a Worker (a “Dispute”) will be resolved by final and binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that either party may bring an individual action in small claims court, and either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in court to prevent actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of confidentiality or intellectual property rights.

Arbitration will be administered by JAMS under its rules for employment or commercial arbitration, as applicable, in effect at the time the arbitration is initiated. The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator and, unless the parties agree otherwise, will take place in San Francisco County, California, or, at your election if you reside outside that area, by videoconference or in the federal judicial district that includes your residence. The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding, subject to any limited grounds for judicial review under applicable law.

21.3 Class Action and Jury Trial Waiver

YOU AND POLYMATH EACH AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE WILL BE BROUGHT ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, REPRESENTATIVE, OR PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTION, TO THE EXTENT SUCH A WAIVER IS PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. YOU AND POLYMATH EACH WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL. If any portion of this class action waiver is found unenforceable for a particular claim or remedy, that portion will be severed, and the remainder of this arbitration agreement will remain in force; if a court determines the entire class action waiver is unenforceable such that the claim must proceed on a class or representative basis, then this arbitration agreement will not apply to that claim, and it may be brought in court.

21.4 Opt-Out

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@polymathlabs.ai within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms, stating your name and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration. If you opt out, this Section will not apply to you, but all other provisions of these Terms will remain in effect.

22. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California and applicable U.S. federal law, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles, except that Section 21 (Dispute Resolution) is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act. This choice of law does not override any mandatory consumer- or worker-protection law of your jurisdiction of residence that cannot be waived by agreement.

23. Changes to These Terms

Polymath may modify these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice by posting the updated Terms on the Platform, updating the “Last updated” date, and, where required by law or where changes materially affect your rights or compensation, providing additional notice (such as email or an in-Platform notice) before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the Platform.

24. General Provisions

  • Entire agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, any Project Terms, and any signed Consulting Agreement, constitute the entire agreement between you and Polymath regarding the subject matter herein, and supersede any prior agreements on that subject.
  • Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights hereunder without Polymath's prior written consent. Polymath may assign these Terms, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, without your consent.
  • Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed if it cannot be so modified, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
  • No waiver. Polymath's failure to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of its right to do so later.
  • Notices. Polymath may provide notices to you via the email address or in-Platform messaging associated with your account. You may provide notice to Polymath at support@polymathlabs.ai or at Polymath’s then-current business address, as available in the Support Docs here: https://docs.fellows.polymathlabs.ai/legal#what-is-the-legal-entity-that-i-m-contracting-with
  • Force majeure. Neither party is liable for delay or failure to perform caused by events beyond its reasonable control.
  • Independent legal advice. You acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to seek independent legal and tax advice before agreeing to these Terms.

For more information about Polymath and the Fellows program, see: https://docs.fellows.polymathlabs.ai/faq