DoorDash Pays Gig Workers to Collect Data for AI Training
DoorDash is transforming its network of delivery couriers into on-demand data collectors, marking a significant evolution in what gig work looks like in the AI era. The food delivery giant has launched a new program called Tasks, which pays workers to complete short data-gathering assignments such as photographing store shelves, filming household chores, and recording conversations — all to fuel artificial intelligence development.
How the Tasks Program Works
The Tasks offering is available both as a standalone app and as an embedded option within the existing Dasher app, currently rolling out across select U.S. markets. Notably, the program excludes California, New York City, Seattle, and Colorado — states and cities known for stronger gig worker protections. Workers can pick up these bite-sized jobs alongside or instead of traditional food deliveries, giving them greater flexibility in how they earn.
A Broader Shift Across the Gig Economy
DoorDash is not alone in exploring this territory. Competing platforms including Uber and Instacart are also testing similar data-collection programs, suggesting the broader gig economy is pivoting beyond rides and restaurant orders. The data gathered from these tasks will reportedly be used to train AI models and provide actionable shelf and product insights to retail partners.
This move raises important questions about the future of gig work. As AI demand for real-world data surges, platforms with vast networks of on-the-ground workers hold a unique advantage — and those workers may find their roles expanding in ways few anticipated. Whether this shift benefits workers or primarily serves corporate AI ambitions remains a key point of debate.