Do you want to make the internet a better place? Do you have a few seconds to spare to the cause here and there? If so then Google has an app for you, ‘Crowdsource’ is Google’s latest app to hit the Play Store and gives you the opportunity to assist with either language translation or text recognition corrections.
The app is simple and once configured offers you the ability to assist with checking:
- Image transcriptions
- Handwriting recognition
- Translation
- Translation validations and
- Maps translation validation
Each task is simple and typically on takes a few seconds, and of course, there are points! After completing 10, 25 and 50 tasks I received a pop-up trophy and you can keep track of your contributions in the Settings tab. At present, it’s unclear if points will be for gamification, self-adulation or if this will turn into a tiered system with rewards like the Local Guides program.
Considering Google’s efforts in machine learning and AI, Crowdsource looks to be an effort to crowdsource as many people as possible to actually help teach their translation and image/ text recognition engines. If the app only got moderate traction, and without some sort of reward many people won’t see the benefit to them, it could still provide Google with an unparalleled amount of data with which to improve their own automated systems. Don’t forget that Google already uses reCaptcha to fine-tune its number and image recognition patterns, so this is just another way Google can get ‘smarter’.
If you want to help Google train their AI to make the internet, and in the future the devices we connect to them, more powerful and accurate at language translation and writing recognition then head on over to the Play Store and grab a copy of the app and start contributing! What better way to make your morning constitutional a little more useful to humanity?
Are you going to get Crowdsourcing? Let us know below.
Would be good if it worked like Rewards, where contributing earns you a few cents for Play Store.