Robotics and AI firms are paying people to record themselves folding laundry, loading dishwashers, and similar tasks to generate labeled video for dexterous robotic learning. This turns domestic labor into data‑collection piecework and creates a short‑term 'service job' whose purpose is to teach machines to replace it.
— It shows how the gig economy is shifting toward data extraction that accelerates automation, raising questions about compensation, consent, and the transition path for service‑sector jobs.
Tyler Cowen
2026.01.11
82% relevant
Both the article and the existing idea document the same mechanism: firms pay domain experts or gig workers to produce labeled, high‑quality inputs that accelerate AI capabilities. Here Mercor is recruiting basketball experts to evaluate and improve AI sports commentary, mirroring how companies hire people to create datasets for robotics or other models.
Tyler Cowen
2025.10.17
100% relevant
Companies like Encord, Micro1, and Scale AI launched paid 'data collection' programs that compensate people to film everyday household activities.
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