DoorDash's Tasks App Reveals the Low-Paid Reality of AI Training Work

A WIRED tester tries DoorDash’s Tasks app, which pays people to film themselves performing everyday activities to generate training data for AI and robotics. Tasks include laundry, cooking eggs, and park walks, with upfront rates around $15/hour but actual earnings prove meager (under $10 after a few tasks) due to strict filming rules and time caps. The app also restricts certain locations and raises concerns about privacy in public spaces, the sustainability of low-wage gig work for AI development, and the broader implications for workers in the AI data‑labeling ecosystem.