In its quest to become the best app for “flexible work,” Uber today launched a new pilot to allow its US drivers and couriers to earn extra money by performing “microtasks” to train AI models.
These functions include audio voice recording, capturing and uploading images, and submitting documents in some languages. Prompts will vary, but some examples include “uploading photos of cars” or “recording yourself speaking in your language or local dialect.” Another example is uploading a menu written in Spanish, from which someone can earn as much as a whole dollar.
The move could position Uber’s global army of freelance drivers and delivery workers to challenge established players like Scale AI and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk — businesses and platforms that work with generative AI companies to help train their models by annotating and labeling data fed to them by humans. Much of the work is done outside the US through low-cost labor and is considered vital in the development of powerful AI models.
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This is one of many announcements Uber is making today with the idea of building “the best platform for flexible work,” as CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced today at an event in Washington, DC. Most of the announcement centers on how drivers and couriers interact with the app, which aims to make the experience of working for Uber easier, smarter and fairer. In addition to digital microtasks, Uber is redesigning its trip offer cards, introducing a new heatmap to direct drivers to high-demand areas, and expanding its features to give female drivers more control over their rides.
According to the company, Uber has in the past used independent contractors to train AI models, which it calls “human-in-the-loop” processes that blend “human expertise with machine automation.” AI Solutions GroupThe company recently Buys Belgian startup Segments.ai To expand its nascent data-labeling business. uber driver in india They were recently given the opportunity for the first time to earn small amounts of money by responding to prompts in the Uber app. Now the company is bringing its Digital Task Pilot to America.
It remains to be seen whether Uber drivers will adopt these micro-actions, given how many of them already complain of low pay as a result of the company’s high rates on rides and deliveries. Of course, Uber classifies drivers as independent contractors, arguing that they are in business for themselves and thus ineligible for traditional benefits like overtime, minimum wage protections, and health insurance. Some Uber drivers argue that the company’s algorithm exerts so much control over their lives that it cannot be seen as anything other than employment.
In addition to digital microtasks, Uber is also changing the offer card for drivers and couriers to give them more time and information before accepting a ride. Offer cards are what the driver sees before accepting (or rejecting) a trip request. Now Uber is giving them more time to decide when the card will first appear in their app. Uber is also introducing a new on-trip experience for couriers that “simplifies” multi-order delivery with clear pick-up and drop-off details, as well as alerts for commonly missed items.
A new heatmap has been designed to give drivers more transparency about areas of high demand. Red areas indicate the shortest wait times, followed by orange, then yellow areas. Purple areas are where surge pricing is in effect, and show how long drivers waited on average for a trip, based on recent data. And drivers who are traveling from their homes to a high-demand area such as an urban center can now choose between a route that gets them there as quickly as possible or one that maximizes fares along the way.
Uber is also making some changes it says will make its app safer for both riders and drivers. After first launching its Female Rider Preferences feature in the US last July, the company is now making it available in more cities, including Baltimore, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland, and Washington, DC. This feature allows female drivers to set their preferences so that they receive only female passengers, and vice versa.
In markets where the feature is available, Uber says women have used it on more than 100 million trips. A quarter of female drivers turn it on every week, and more than half have it on for more than 90 percent of their trips.
Uber is now letting drivers set a minimum rating for riders based on their comfort level, turning the feature on or off depending on the situation – for example, using it late at night and turning it off during the day. Along with consumer verification for riders, Uber says these tools “help give drivers more peace of mind on every trip.”
And finally, Uber is introducing several new updates related to fairness. Drivers have long complained about indiscriminate inaction from the app and feeling helpless in the face of the laborious process of undoing those decisions. Uber now says it listens to those complaints and will try to mitigate them — but not eliminate the need for deactivation entirely:
We know losing access to Uber can create real challenges, which is why we’re working to make it easier for drivers and couriers to continue earning, even if issues arise. Where we can, we will limit access to only specific types of earning opportunities rather than the full platform. For example, if an alcohol delivery issue is reported, drivers can still provide food or rideshare trips. As always, serious violations, including security issues, may result in complete loss of access to Uber.
If Uber receives a complaint from a rider about a driver, it says it will also allow the driver to present his or her side before making a decision. And if a rider files a false report about a driver, that rider will be at risk of being deactivated.
Uber is also introducing a new Delayed Ride Guarantee, in which drivers can earn more if a trip is delayed by the customer or due to extenuating circumstances such as traffic or detours. It’s also enhancing its tipping reminders for riders, extending them to iPhone Live Activities, so riders can be more informed about how to tip their drivers or couriers.
