Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots • Hacker News Board

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#221

Post by wizzwizz4 » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:04 PM UTC

IanCal wrote: post #219

sjbzbeiks wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would guess so, they seem interested in the ring cameras https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2025/09/30/ring-police-partn...

The cost of sharing recordings of video you collect anyway is near 0, and this provides videos of public places . What's the value of a recording inside my house to the police? That requires paying a human to go around recording it?

The cost of sharing recordings of video you collect anyway is near 0. If not police, many stalkers would definitely appreciate this information.

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#222

Post by aaron695 » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:17 PM UTC

matthewmacleod wrote: post #187

breadzephyr wrote: post #172

Looks to me like they want to get in on 3D mapping homes that haven't already been mapped by a Roomba or other similar bot. There is plenty of money to be made selling home layouts to police. At the same time the customer's home is being cleaned, all objects can be scanned to data-mine the customer's shopping preferences. Maybe training AI and bots is part of what they're trying to accomplish, but I just can't help w…

There is plenty of money to be made selling home layouts to police Is there?

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Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#223

Post by hyperionultra » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:22 PM UTC

So, klankers will fix it, clean it and make it? What will meat do?

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#224

Post by pimlottc » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:39 PM UTC

somewhatgoated wrote: post #199

bathtub365 wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m sure Airbnb operators get comfortable turning it over every few days without having to constantly take photos. Most guests don’t bring robots in to smash up the dishwasher and dent the walls

Sure but taking a photo of everything in its “good” state seems reasonable. You don’t need to constantly update the photos if nothing gets smashed.

We don’t really know the details. Perhaps they had “good state” photos that were rejected by Airbnb for not being recent enough.

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#225

Post by zzzeek » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:44 PM UTC

morpheos137 wrote: post #220

matthewmacleod wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is plenty of money to be made selling home layouts to police Is there?

yeah the parent was a rather dumb comment. police don't buy intelligence on the population en mass. how could they afford it snd how could they use it without probable cause? if you are already a target of an investigation they can get a warrant for free with due process.

one paragraph in the three mile long TOS the homeowner clicks OK on and problem solved ?

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#226

Post by jiaosdjf » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:49 PM UTC

breadzephyr wrote: post #172

Looks to me like they want to get in on 3D mapping homes that haven't already been mapped by a Roomba or other similar bot. There is plenty of money to be made selling home layouts to police. At the same time the customer's home is being cleaned, all objects can be scanned to data-mine the customer's shopping preferences. Maybe training AI and bots is part of what they're trying to accomplish, but I just can't help w…

The Stasi would blush

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#227

Post by standardUser » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:49 PM UTC

I used to have an easier time ignoring the mass surveillance angle. If I'm 1 in 300,000,000, then someone would have to have a good reason to waste resources on investigating little ole' me. But with AI, safety via obfuscation no longer exists (to the degree it ever did). It doesn't matter if I'm 1 of 30 records or 1 of 30 billion records - the difference is a a few minutes of processing time.

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#228

Post by dawnerd » Sat, May 30, 2026, 1:59 PM UTC

breadzephyr wrote: post #172

Looks to me like they want to get in on 3D mapping homes that haven't already been mapped by a Roomba or other similar bot. There is plenty of money to be made selling home layouts to police. At the same time the customer's home is being cleaned, all objects can be scanned to data-mine the customer's shopping preferences. Maybe training AI and bots is part of what they're trying to accomplish, but I just can't help w…

Insurance companies too. They were one of the first ones to map out in detail building plans for entire cities.

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#229

Post by nilamo » Sat, May 30, 2026, 2:03 PM UTC

Garlef wrote: post #151

zeafoamrun wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like your favorite lamp.

Isn't Airbnb 99% commercial nowadays? Who would leave their fav lamp in there?

Yes, nobody ever actually lives in them, they're just 24/7 airbnbs with a cleaning service.

Re: Shift will clean homes for free to train future robots

#230

Post by ifh-hn » Sat, May 30, 2026, 2:27 PM UTC

nkrisc wrote: post #213

matthewmacleod wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is plenty of money to be made selling home layouts to police Is there?

I can totally imagine the sales pitch to police departments: before you bust down the door of the local journalist who criticized you, look up their home floor plan and review 360 camera footage of each room, so you can get to their laptop before it locks when your surveillance team detects they’ve stepped away to use the bathroom.

Ignoring the OTT scenario premise; if the surveillance team is able to detect movement like that then the surveillance team already knows where the laptop is. Why would you need a floor plan?