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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Uber launches a brand new, non-compulsory “digital duties” program within the US.
- Drivers can add content material to assist firms practice AI fashions.
- Compensation will depend on a job’s time dedication and complexity.
There’s extra to being employed by Uber than merely driving round passengers — a minimum of, that is what Uber says. Following the enlargement of its courier service in 2020, Uber is now providing drivers the chance to assist firms practice their AI fashions for further money.
The way it works
Based on Uber, starting later this 12 months, drivers and couriers who choose into this system can full “digital duties” inside Uber’s Driver app. These duties can embrace submitting a video of themselves talking of their native language, importing footage of particular on a regular basis objects, or presenting paperwork written in a distinct language.
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After duties are accomplished, the earnings will probably be within the customers’ stability inside 24 hours. Compensation will depend on the time dedication to finish duties and their complexity.
Adobe launched a similar program last year for content material to coach its video fashions.
Uber says that over time, extra digital duties throughout a broader vary of requests will probably be out there, giving customers the chance to earn extra money with out having to drive their automotive.
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In a blog post, Uber says this program connects customers to “firms that want actual individuals to assist enhance their expertise” — as in AI firms that want real-life assets to coach their fashions. Alternatives to finish digital duties rely on the demand from the businesses that want them, so it will not be a dependable supply of earnings.
Evading copyright points
Calling on on a regular basis individuals to submit images, movies, written paperwork, and voice clips might be a workaround for AI firms hoping to avoid the copyright authorized battle between themselves and publishers. Usually, AI firms scrape coaching knowledge within the type of textual content, audio, video, photographs, and extra off the open web; consequently, report labels, social media companies, newspapers, unbiased artists, and film studios have sued AI firms like OpenAI, Suno, and Anthropic, often claiming copyright infringement.
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As a substitute of coaching an AI picture generator on skilled, credited images of bananas, maybe the common particular person will help in alternate for a number of further {dollars}. It is a gig-economy spin on the prevailing technique of coaching AI fashions, wherein firms pay workers in the global south very low wages to tag and type knowledge for fashions to ingest.
Privateness considerations
It is unclear how a lot of a lower Uber will take from contributors on this program, and the privateness coverage across the program can also be unclear. Uber says that it’ll not disclose the names or enterprise objectives of AI firms to contributors. You may assume that AI firms might promote, switch, or retain any content material obtained in this system.
