Course 5, lesson 41 of 100, Ages 11+

Collecting data

Where AI’s examples come from

Like I’m 5

Before AI can learn, someone has to collect examples, like a collector filling an album with stickers. The examples can be photos, sounds, numbers or words.

The big idea

Data comes from many places: sensors, surveys, websites, apps, hospital records and public datasets. What you collect decides what the AI can learn, so you start by asking what question you want answered.

Collecting data responsibly matters. People should know when their data is used, private details must be protected, and you need permission to use other people's work. Good collection also means gathering enough examples from every kind of situation.

Examples

  • School survey: Asking every class, not just one, about lunch preferences.
  • Bird sounds: Volunteers record birdsong so an app can identify species.
  • Permission: A photo app asks before using your pictures to improve its AI.

How it works

  1. Decide the question you want the AI to answer.
  2. Collect examples from every kind of situation, with permission.
  3. Store the data safely and record where it came from.

Check your understanding

What should you decide before collecting data?
Options: The question you want answered; The colour of the computer; The name of the AI.
Answer: The question you want answered. The question tells you what data you actually need.
Why does permission matter when collecting data?
Options: People have a right to control how their data and work are used; It makes the data bigger; It doesn't matter.
Answer: People have a right to control how their data and work are used. Respecting consent and ownership is part of collecting data responsibly.

Remember

Start with a clear question, then collect varied data, with permission, and keep it safe.

Talk about it

If you built an AI to recognise local birds, how would you collect the data?

Go deeper

Data provenance means tracking where data came from and under what licence or consent. Many laws, like India's DPDP Act and Europe's GDPR, set rules for collecting personal data.