AI training startup Shift is offering complimentary home cleaning services, with an intriguing condition: the process will be recorded. This footage, captured as cleaners perform tasks like scrubbing, vacuuming, dusting, tidying, and washing, will be utilized to train advanced robots.
Shift publicly announced this unique initiative on social media, explaining that the substantial value of the generated training data more than compensates for the service's cost. As articulated on its website: “You get a spotless apartment. We get training data. Everyone wins.”
A promotional video showcases a cleaner in a distinctive white uniform and an unconventional hat, diligently washing windows, mopping floors, scrubbing dishes, and wiping counters. According to Shift’s co-CEO and co-founder Bercan Kilic, this "magic hat" is the key recording device, housing a camera that captures the work from the cleaner’s point of view.
The in-home footage effectively serves as the payment for the cleaning service. Shift assures customers on its website that “privacy is fully protected,” detailing that sensitive information such as names, faces, or personal data visible on screens and ID cards will be blurred and anonymized before being used for AI training. The company also states that its cleaners are thoroughly vetted by its partners, emphasizing they are not direct Shift employees.
“Every home cleaned today lays the groundwork for a home that cleans itself tomorrow,” the company states in its video. Interestingly, more challenging cleaning environments are particularly beneficial for data collection, with Shift’s FAQ noting that "more challenging cleaning environments can be especially useful." However, there are clear limits, as cleaners "may decline any specific task they are not comfortable performing."
Initially, the service is available only in New York, though Kilic indicates a rapid expansion to San Francisco, London, Zurich, and Munich. These complimentary cleanings are offered for a "limited time," aligning with a burgeoning market for human task recordings vital for training AI systems and robotics. Shift already engages tens of thousands of individuals across 15 countries to record their activities through its dedicated application.
Cleaning appears to be merely the initial step for Shift, as its promotional video outlines future ambitions to expand into diverse sectors such such as plumbing, cooking, and construction.
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