Uber branches out into AI data labeling

Uber no longer offers just rides and deliveries: It’s created a new division hiring out gig workers to help enterprises with some of their AI model development work.

Scaled Solutions grew out of the company’s own needs for data annotation, testing, and localization, and is now ready to offer those services to enterprises in retail, automotive and autonomous vehicles, social media, consumer apps, generative AI, manufacturing, and customer support. Its first customers include Aurora Innovation, which makes self-driving software for commercial trucks, and game developer Niantic, which is building a 3D map of the world.

The skills Uber requires its new gig workers to have vary, Chris Brummitt, the company’s senior director for communications in Asia-Pacific, said via email. “It depends on the task, but some might need language skills, some programming, some no specific skills.”