Uber, the ride-hailing company, is diversifying its workforce by creating a new category of gig workers focused on AI annotation and data labeling. The company has launched a new division called Scaled Solutions, which is hiring contractors in several countries, including the US, Canada, and India, to work on projects for both internal business units and external clients.

According to Bloomberg, Scaled Solutions is already serving clients outside of Uber, including self-driving vehicle company Aurora Innovation and video game developer Niantic. This move marks a significant expansion of Uber's gig economy model, which has traditionally been centered around ride-hailing and food delivery.

The data labeling market has seen significant growth in recent years, driven by the increasing demand for high-quality training data to fuel AI and machine learning models. Companies like Scale AI, which raised a $1 billion round at a $13.8 billion valuation earlier this year, are benefiting from this trend. Uber's entry into this market is likely to increase competition and drive innovation in the space.

By hiring contractors globally, Uber is able to tap into a large pool of skilled workers who can provide high-quality data labeling and annotation services. This approach also allows the company to scale its operations quickly and efficiently, responding to changing demand from clients.

The implications of Uber's move into data labeling are far-reaching. As the company builds out its capabilities in this area, it may be able to leverage its existing infrastructure and expertise to offer new services to clients. For example, Uber could potentially offer data labeling services to companies developing autonomous vehicles, a market in which it is already active through its Uber ATG subsidiary.

Moreover, Uber's expansion into data labeling highlights the growing importance of AI and machine learning in the technology industry. As companies increasingly rely on these technologies to drive innovation and growth, the demand for high-quality training data is likely to continue to rise. Uber's move into this space positions it well to capitalize on this trend and potentially create new revenue streams.

In conclusion, Uber's entry into the data labeling market through Scaled Solutions marks a significant expansion of its gig economy model and highlights the growing importance of AI and machine learning in the technology industry. As the company builds out its capabilities in this area, it will be interesting to see how it leverages its existing infrastructure and expertise to offer new services to clients and drive innovation in the space.