DoorDash announced Thursday that it is launching a new standalone “Tasks” app that will let you pay delivery workers to complete tasks to improve its AI and robotics systems. Delivery workers will be able to earn money by completing activities such as filming their daily tasks or recording themselves speaking in different languages, DoorDash says.
“This data helps AI and robotic systems understand the physical world,” DoorDash wrote in a blog post. “Wages are indicated in advance and are determined by the effort and complexity of the activity.”
Bloomberg reports that raw audio and video footage submitted by employees will be used to evaluate both the company’s internal AI models and models developed by partners in the retail, insurance, hospitality and technology sectors.
One example of the task is to ask delivery drivers to capture video of their hands washing at least five dishes while wearing body cameras. The task involves holding each clean plate in the frame for a few seconds before moving on to the next plate, Bloomberg reported.
DoorDash isn’t the only company using its delivery workforce to train AI models. Late last year, Uber announced plans to allow drivers to earn extra income by completing small tasks, such as uploading photos to help train an AI model.
In addition to the standalone Tasks app, shippers will see new digital “Tasks” listed in the Dasher app. Examples include taking actual photos of dishes in a restaurant to showcase the menu, or taking photos of hotel entrances to help delivery drivers find drop-off locations more easily. Waymo and DoorDash’s partnership, which pays delivery drivers to close doors on self-driving cars, is also listed as a task in the app.
“Our goal at Tasks is to help more businesses understand what’s happening in the field and gather new insights, while giving Dashers new ways to earn money on their own terms,” Ethan Beatty, general manager of DoorDash Tasks, said in a blog post. “We have more than 8 million Dashers who want to reach almost anywhere in the U.S. and have the flexibility to earn money even after delivery. This is a powerful capability to digitize the physical world.”
The in-app Tasks and standalone Tasks apps are available in select regions of the United States, excluding California, New York, Seattle, and Colorado. DoorDash plans to expand to more job types and countries in the future.
