DoorDash Launches Program Paying Couriers for AI Data Tasks

DoorDash, the San Francisco-based food delivery company, announced on March 19, 2026, the launch of DoorDash Tasks, a program that pays its eight million delivery couriers to complete short assignments generating real-world data for artificial intelligence and robotics systems. The initiative, available in select U.S. markets, transforms the company's gig workforce into contributors for tasks ranging from photographing restaurant menus to filming household chores, positioning DoorDash as a major player in the growing market for human-sourced training data.

The program operates through two main channels: new features integrated into the existing Dasher app and a standalone Tasks app. In the Dasher app, couriers can undertake digital tasks such as capturing images of hotel entrances to improve delivery accuracy or scanning supermarket shelves for inventory checks. The standalone app focuses on more involved activities, including recording unscripted conversations in languages other than English or videoing everyday routines like washing dishes, folding laundry, or pruning plants. For instance, one task requires couriers to wear a body camera on their hands while scrubbing at...