DoorDash launched a separate app Tasks where couriers film everyday activities — washing dishes, documenting building entrances — and get paid for it. The data goes to train AI and robotics, not just DoorDash's own models, but also partners in retail, insurance, and hospitality. Funny that the tasks are also assigned by AI (so literally AI asks humans to collect data to train AI).
We did the exact same thing in Pokemon GO — walked the streets, scanned spaces. Except we weren't paid anything, and Niantic built one of the most detailed pedestrian maps in the world and now sells it.
At least now people get paid for digitizing the physical world.
DoorDash has 8 million couriers with access to almost any point in the US — essentially a distributed sensor network with legs and a camera. Uber launched something similar last year.
How many of our everyday actions are already worth money — we just haven't thought about it yet.