DoorDash announced Thursday that it is releasing a new standalone “tasks” app. This will allow the company to pay couriers to complete tasks aimed at improving AI and robotic systems. DoorDash says couriers can earn money by completing activities such as filming their daily tasks or recording themselves speaking in another language.
“This data helps AI and robotic systems understand the physical world,” DoorDash wrote in a blog post. “Salary is offered upfront and determined based on effort and complexity of activity.”
Bloomberg reports that original audio and video footage submitted by employees will be used to evaluate both the company’s internal AI models and those developed by partners in the retail, insurance, hospitality, and technology sectors.
One example of the process involves asking a delivery person wearing a body camera to film their hands washing at least five dishes, holding a clean plate in the frame for a few seconds before moving on to the next plate, Bloomberg reports.
DoorDash isn’t the only company using delivery drivers to train its AI models. Late last year, Uber announced plans to allow drivers to earn extra money by completing small tasks, such as uploading photos to help train its AI models.
In addition to the standalone task app, couriers will see new digital “tasks” listed in the Dasher app. Examples include restaurants taking photos of actual food to showcase their menus, or photos of hotel entrances to help delivery drivers find pickup locations. In DoorDash’s partnership with Waymo, delivery drivers are paid to close the doors of self-driving cars, which is also listed as a task in the app.
“Our goal with Tasks is to help more companies understand what’s happening in the field and glean new insights, while giving Dashers new ways to earn money on their terms,” said Ethan Beatty, general manager of DoorDash Tasks, in a blog post. “More than 8 million dashers want access to almost anywhere in the U.S. and a flexible way to earn money outside of shipping. This is a powerful capability that digitizes the physical world.”
The in-app task app and the standalone task app are available in select locations in the United States except California, New York City, Seattle, and Colorado. DoorDash plans to expand to more task types and countries in the future.
