How Pokémon Go Players Built a Massive AR Map for Robots

Remember hunting for Snorlax while wandering your neighborhood in 2016? That was Pokémon Go's heyday. But who knew our digital antics were laying the groundwork for a robot takeover? Fast forward to today, and the very images captured by these Pokémon enthusiasts are teaching robots to navigate our world. Niantic's spinoff, Niantic Spatial, is using this trove of data to build a Visual Positioning System that makes GPS almost obsolete.

Here's the twist: while we were busy catching Pikachu, Niantic was busy creating a database of 30 billion images. That's right, 30 billion. All this data is now being used to train delivery robots, like those from Coco Robotics, to navigate city streets without getting lost. These flight-case-size robots are already cruising through cities like Los Angeles and Helsinki, all thanks to the images players unknowingly contributed.

And why does this matter for crypto? Well, it showcases the huge potential of decentralized contributions. Just as Pokémon Go players collectively built a massive AR map, imagine the possibilities when a decentralized community backs new blockchain projects. Plus, it highlights how tech can rapidly pivot from entertainment to essential infrastructure. The real question now is, who's benefiting? Niantic certainly is. Players and their data? Not as much.

Here's my take: If you thought you were just out for a fun walk catching Pokémon, think again. It's a reminder that in the AR and AI area, your data is currency. And if you're not part of that conversation, you're just giving value away. Watch what happens next in AR. If you haven't paid attention, you're already behind.