AI-Blockchain-Based Data Collection Platform with Automated Dataset Validation and Secure Worker Payment

This work develops an effective platform to enhance the data collection process for researchers. The proposed platform connects researchers who need specific datasets with data curators, employing blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. This system includes individual researcher and worker dashboards, an AI-integrated validation process, and a blockchain-based automatic payment mechanism. The AI-driven verification system evaluates the quality and correctness of a sample fraction of the collected data to ensure reliability before approving the full dataset. Payment transactions are handled using blockchain technology, which provides a transparent, secure, and tamper-resistant system. Workers are paid based on verified accuracy, and funds are transferred directly to MetaMask wallets on the blockchain. The prototype demonstrates how AI-based data validation and blockchain-based payments can be combined to support a more trustworthy and automated data collection process. This unique concept provides workers with an efficient and secure way to get paid while ensuring high-quality research data. Experimental results show that the proposed platform achieved validation accuracies of 94.5% and 95.8% with 10% and 20% sampling, respectively, during AI-based dataset verification. The Sepolia blockchain transaction was completed in approximately 12 s, with a transaction fee of 0.00042 ETH for transferring 0.001 ETH. The system handled 1000 users without lag and achieved an 88% satisfaction rate based on survey responses.