To help humanoid robots master basic household skills, AI startups are now paying individuals to record themselves performing everyday chores. While large language models can draw from the vast resources of the internet, robotics companies require specialized, high-quality data that demonstrates precise movements—something rarely found in standard social media clips.
Recent job listings, including a Craigslist post from a New York-based startup, invite people to film first-person footage of tasks like cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, and assembling furniture using their smartphones. This footage is essential for teaching robots how to navigate physical spaces and manipulate objects with human-like dexterity.
The financial incentives for providing this data vary based on the complexity of the task:
- General Household Chores: Compensation typically ranges from $10 to $50 per hour. Some companies offer $1 to $4 per minute for unpublished video footage.
- Technical Tasks: Specialized recordings, such as those demonstrating the handling of surgical tools, can pay as much as $150 per hour.
As the robotics industry continues to attract billions in venture capital, the demand for “from-scratch” real-world data is growing. While visionaries like Jeff Bezos suggest robots may eventually build colonies in space, the current priority is more grounded: teaching them to successfully sort laundry and manage household maintenance.