On Thursday, delivery platform DoorDash announced a new job expansion called Tasks, a set of small jobs its Dashers can do to earn a bit of extra money. Some of these tasks are benign additions to the regular delivery app, like taking pictures of menus or the entrances to establishments.
DoorDash is also launching a standalone app that really caught our attention. Through it, the company will assign basic tasks for training AI models.
«Dashers can complete activities like filming everyday tasks or recording themselves speaking in another language,» DoorDash’s post explains. «This data helps AI and robotic systems understand the physical world.»
If you head into the new download pages for the Tasks app, you’ll see other examples of tasks, including washing at least five dishes with your hands visible, making your bed and repotting plants.
Today’s AIs use advanced machine learning to interpret not only text, as in the case of chatbots, but also visual data, such as objects, actions and even the context behind certain actions. DoorDash’s video tasks would presumably be used for this type of training.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen companies hire gig workers specifically to train AI — Uber started its own AI training program late last year.
But these programs raise questions. What happens when AI models are deemed sufficiently trained? Would these trained AIs be used to replace employees in other industries? Are the Dashers (uhh, Taskers?) using this app able to protect their own privacy when AI analyzes their videos?
When I reached out to DoorDash, the company told me it «maintains robust privacy safeguards across all of our products and services, including Tasks,» without offering specifics.
It’s not clear what AI models will be trained on all this visual data, but DoorDash is casting a wide net. The company says that it’s partnering with businesses from the retail, insurance, hospitality and technology industries for Tasks training. Maybe some of it will train robots.
How much is DoorDash paying for this AI training?
It’s tough to calculate exactly how much someone might get paid for this work. DoorDash says, «Pay is shown upfront and determined based on effort and complexity of the activity.» That doesn’t reveal much, but screenshots of the Task app in action give further clues.
In one example, the app offered $16 for scanning store shelves. In another, it offered $20 to have an everyday conversation in Spanish with your friends or family (something that needs to be both «spontaneous» and carefully arranged beforehand to avoid «political content» and «identifiable information,» so good luck).
Based on the dollar sign icons, jobs like cooking with a frying pan will pay more than tasks like folding clothes.
Where will these Tasks be available?
We’re not sure where the Tasks app will be available once the rollout is complete, but it’s currently available in select areas of the US.
DoorDash says the app will be banned completely in places like California, New York City, Seattle and Colorado. It didn’t give a reason, but it likely has something to do with the privacy and employment legislation that those areas have passed, such as the California ruling that identifies gig workers as independent contractors.