Key Takeaways
- Uber is piloting a new program in the U.S. called “Digital Tasks,” which allows users to earn money by helping train AI models.
- Users complete small jobs online, such as uploading photos or audio recordings.
- The payout for each task varies depending on the time commitment.
Uber is piloting a new feature for U.S. drivers and couriers to earn extra income — even when they’re not driving passengers or delivering food.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced the “Digital Tasks” pilot program at the Only on Uber 2025 conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The initiative offers U.S. drivers the chance to earn money by completing online tasks, such as uploading photos or recording audio clips to train AI models.
“Drivers have asked for more ways to earn, even when they’re not on the road,” Khosrowshahi said at the event, per Business Insider.
Access is currently limited during the pilot, but Uber plans to roll out the “Digital Tasks” feature to all drivers and couriers on both its main ride-hailing service and Uber Eats, though it is unclear when. Eligible U.S. drivers and couriers will see the option to participate in their Work Hub on Uber.
Uber did not provide specifics on how much it would pay for the AI training, but the company’s Chief Product Officer, Sachin Kansal, told Bloomberg that the payout for each task varies depending on the time commitment of each assignment.
Uber may consider opening up the tasks to non-drivers over time, according to Kansal.
Some tasks are simple enough to be completed directly on a phone, while more advanced assignments, such as annotating, translating, or editing content, are offered through Uber’s web platform, Kansal said. It’s unclear why Uber is training AI and if it has partnerships with any AI companies.
Uber competitor Lyft does not have a public-facing AI training program like Uber’s “Digital Tasks.” However, Amazon offers a comparable option through Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing platform launched publicly in 2005, where businesses can post small tasks, such as data entry, image labeling to train AI, or content moderation, that anyone can complete online for payment.
This isn’t Uber’s first attempt to branch out beyond delivering food and offering rides. Two years ago, Uber launched a mini-pilot program that let app users hire people to complete various household tasks, like furniture assembly. Uber tested the service in select regions, including Fort Myers, Florida, and Edmonton, Alberta, but did not expand the program beyond an initial trial.
Uber’s push now to diversify the tasks drivers can complete arrives as robotaxis and autonomous vehicles gain ground. Last month, at an “All-In” podcast event, Khosrowshahi said that “10 to 15 years from now,” work on Uber could dry up for human drivers as robotaxis take on more rides. In January, Khosrowshahi told the Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern that driving for Uber is only a safe gig for the next decade.
“You fast forward 15, 20 years, I think that the autonomous driver is going to be a better driver than the human driver,” Khosrowshahi said at the time.
Related: Uber CEO Defends New Return-to-Office Policies at ‘Heated’ All-Hands Meeting
Key Takeaways
- Uber is piloting a new program in the U.S. called “Digital Tasks,” which allows users to earn money by helping train AI models.
- Users complete small jobs online, such as uploading photos or audio recordings.
- The payout for each task varies depending on the time commitment.
Uber is piloting a new feature for U.S. drivers and couriers to earn extra income — even when they’re not driving passengers or delivering food.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced the “Digital Tasks” pilot program at the Only on Uber 2025 conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The initiative offers U.S. drivers the chance to earn money by completing online tasks, such as uploading photos or recording audio clips to train AI models.
“Drivers have asked for more ways to earn, even when they’re not on the road,” Khosrowshahi said at the event, per Business Insider.
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