How much do AI data collection services cost?
Pricing depends on modality, geography, capture complexity, and how much curation you want included. If your program includes labeled components, reference rates include Road Lane at $3/km and Dense Captioning at $6/hr. For platform-managed workflows, Abaka Forge uses credits at $0.20 USD each. We scope a pilot first to set accurate unit economics.
How fast can you start a custom data collection project?
Most teams can kick off quickly once scope, modalities, and governance requirements are defined. A common timeline is Day 0–3 for specs and acceptance criteria, Week 1–2 for a pilot capture, and Week 2–3 to scale delivery. If your security review is complex, we align documentation early to avoid schedule surprises.
What data types and formats can you deliver?
We support text, image, video, audio, LiDAR, and IoT sensor streams, including synchronized multi-sensor sequences. Deliveries typically include media files plus structured manifests (JSON/JSONL/CSV) and metadata sidecars for timestamps, capture context, and tags. If you plan to annotate next, we can also align outputs to formats commonly used in training pipelines.
How do you ensure the collected data is accurate and usable for training?
We start with a clear capture spec and acceptance criteria, then validate through a pilot before scaling. Data is curated and pre-filtered to remove corrupted or out-of-spec samples, and metadata is checked for completeness and schema consistency. Weekly QA checkpoints keep collection aligned to coverage targets so you get trainable data, not just raw files.
Can you support secure or sensitive data collection programs?
Yes. Abaka supports SOC 2 and ISO 27001-aligned security practices, strict NDAs, and segregated secure pipelines. We also support GDPR and CCPA requirements. Access controls, storage requirements, and delivery processes can be tailored to your governance needs so security and legal stakeholders can approve the workflow without blocking iteration.
Do you collect multilingual data?
Yes. Abaka operates globally and can collect multilingual text and audio aligned to your target locales, dialects, and domains. We define language coverage and metadata requirements upfront so your team can slice performance by language and region. If the project includes speech, we can capture audio under controlled environment conditions and provide structured manifests for downstream processing.
How are you different from other data collection vendors?
Abaka is built for frontier AI programs that need provenance, governance, and reliable delivery. You get full IP provenance and 0% copyright risk on collected data, plus secure, segregated pipelines. We also never build models that compete with you—your data is exclusively yours. Finally, curated delivery reduces preprocessing overhead, accelerating your path to training.
What if we need to change requirements mid-project?
Change is expected as models reveal new failure modes. We manage updates through versioned specs, updated acceptance criteria, and controlled QA checks so changes don’t disrupt the pipeline. Weekly checkpoints help prioritize new edge cases and adjust capture plans while preserving consistency. This keeps your dataset coherent across iterations and reduces the risk of re-collection.
Can we run a pilot before committing to a larger collection?
Yes—pilots are the fastest way to validate capture specs, metadata schemas, and ingestion into your pipeline. A pilot typically happens in Week 1–2 and is designed to surface issues early: missing tags, inconsistent timestamps, or hard-to-capture scenarios. Once the pilot passes acceptance, we scale collection with a predictable cadence.
Who owns the data you collect for us?
You do. Abaka does not repurpose, resell, or share your collected data. We never build models that compete with you, and we operate under strict NDAs with secure handling. Deliverables include documentation and provenance so your organization can confidently use the data for training, evaluation, and production without ambiguity about ownership.
Can you work with our existing tools and MLOps pipeline?
Yes. We can deliver data in structured formats (e.g., JSON/CSV manifests plus media) that fit common ingestion patterns, and we can align metadata fields to your internal schemas. If you want a unified workflow, Abaka Forge supports collection through to cleaning and annotation across modalities. We’ll confirm integration requirements during scoping.
Is there a minimum project size for AI data collection services?
There’s no one-size minimum, but collection is most efficient when scoped around a clear model goal and acceptance criteria. Many teams start with a pilot to validate feasibility and unit economics, then scale to meet coverage targets. If your need is small, we can still propose a focused capture plan designed to produce measurable evaluation gains.