diff --git a/core/ai.go b/core/ai.go
index dd9eac1e82..06e8e5c4fe 100644
--- a/core/ai.go
+++ b/core/ai.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 	"github.com/livepeer/ai-worker/worker"
@@ -16,6 +17,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/livepeer/go-livepeer/net"
 )
 
+// TODO: seperate timeout for warm requests
+const workerTimeout = 60 * time.Second // Adjust this value as needed
+
 type AI interface {
 	TextToImage(context.Context, worker.TextToImageJSONRequestBody) (*worker.ImageResponse, error)
 	ImageToImage(context.Context, worker.ImageToImageMultipartRequestBody) (*worker.ImageResponse, error)
@@ -88,7 +92,7 @@ func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) Manage(stream net.Transcoder_RegisterAIWorkerSer
 	m.workersMutex.Unlock()
 
 	<-worker.eof
-	glog.Infof("Remote AI worker=%s done, removing from live AI workers map", from)
+	glog.Infof("Remote AI worker stream closed, removing from live AI workers map worker=%s", from)
 
 	m.workersMutex.Lock()
 	delete(m.liveWorkers, stream)
@@ -123,11 +127,6 @@ func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) processAIRequest(ctx context.Context, capability
 
 	modelID := getModelID(req)
 
-	w, err := m.selectWorker(capability, modelID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	jsonData, err := json.Marshal(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -139,35 +138,21 @@ func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) processAIRequest(ctx context.Context, capability
 		Data:   jsonData,
 	}
 
-	if err := w.stream.Send(remoteReq); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	select {
-	case <-ctx.Done():
-		return nil, ctx.Err()
-	case chanData := <-taskChan:
-		if chanData.Err != "" {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v", chanData.Err)
+	workerCount := m.getWorkerCount(capability, modelID)
+	for i := 0; i < workerCount; i++ {
+		w, err := m.selectWorker(capability, modelID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
 		}
-		glog.Infof("Received AI result for task %d", chanData.TaskID)
-		var res interface{}
-		switch aiRequestType {
-		case net.AIRequestType_ImageToVideo:
-			var videoRes worker.VideoResponse
-			if err := json.Unmarshal(chanData.Bytes, &videoRes); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			res = &videoRes
-		default:
-			var imgRes worker.ImageResponse
-			if err := json.Unmarshal(chanData.Bytes, &imgRes); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			res = &imgRes
+
+		chanData, err := m.sendRequestToWorker(ctx, w, remoteReq, taskChan)
+		if err == nil {
+			return m.processWorkerResponse(chanData, aiRequestType)
 		}
-		return res, nil
+
+		glog.Warningf("Worker %s failed, retrying taskID=%v err=%v", w.addr, taskID, err)
 	}
+	return nil, ErrNoTranscodersAvailable
 }
 
 func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) selectWorker(capability Capability, modelID string) (*RemoteAIWorker, error) {
@@ -189,6 +174,51 @@ func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) selectWorker(capability Capability, modelID stri
 	return w, nil
 }
 
+func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) getWorkerCount(capability Capability, modelID string) int {
+	m.workersMutex.Lock()
+	defer m.workersMutex.Unlock()
+	return len(m.remoteWorkers[capability][modelID])
+}
+
+func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) sendRequestToWorker(ctx context.Context, w *RemoteAIWorker, remoteReq *net.NotifyAIJob, taskChan RemoteAIResultChan) (*RemoteAIWorkerResult, error) {
+	if err := w.stream.Send(remoteReq); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to send request: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	timeoutCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, workerTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	select {
+	case <-timeoutCtx.Done():
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("worker timed out")
+	case chanData := <-taskChan:
+		if chanData.Err != "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("worker returned error: %s", chanData.Err)
+		}
+		return chanData, nil
+	}
+}
+
+func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) processWorkerResponse(chanData *RemoteAIWorkerResult, aiRequestType net.AIRequestType) (interface{}, error) {
+	glog.Infof("Received AI result for task %d", chanData.TaskID)
+	var res interface{}
+	switch aiRequestType {
+	case net.AIRequestType_ImageToVideo:
+		var videoRes worker.VideoResponse
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(chanData.Bytes, &videoRes); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal video response: %w", err)
+		}
+		res = &videoRes
+	default:
+		var imgRes worker.ImageResponse
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(chanData.Bytes, &imgRes); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal image response: %w", err)
+		}
+		res = &imgRes
+	}
+	return res, nil
+}
+
 func (m *RemoteAIWorkerManager) TextToImage(ctx context.Context, req worker.TextToImageJSONRequestBody) (*worker.ImageResponse, error) {
 	res, err := m.processAIRequest(ctx, Capability_TextToImage, req, net.AIRequestType_TextToImage)
 	if err != nil {