Pokémon Go uses players to create a hyperspecific world map

from Condensed Soup · host Lulu Picart

Today, two examples of gamifying labor. The classic smartphone game Pokémon Go has been using player game data and labor to map the world. Plus, ReCAPTCHA provides security -- and your security logins are digitizing books and articles. If you're still playing Pokémon Go, you're helping train data-gobbling GPS AI for Niantic Spatial (Fran Ruiz, Eurogamer, Mar 16, 2026) How Pokémon Go is giving delivery robots an inch-perfect view of the world (Will Douglas Heaven, MIT Technology Review, Mar 10, 2026) Web Security Words Help Digitize Old Books (Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, Aug 14, 2008) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast [email protected] *This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

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This episode was published on March 17, 2026.

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