Waymo considers using in-car camera data for AI training, ads
What's the story
Waymo, the self-driving tech giant, is said to be planning to use data from its autonomous taxis.
Specifically, the company plans to use information from interior cameras tied to rider identities for training generative AI models and advertising.
The information was unearthed by researcher Jane Manchun Wong in a draft of Waymo's privacy policy.
The proposed use of this data has raised questions about how far rider behavior could be repurposed for AI training and marketing.
Data sharing
Privacy policy draft reveals data sharing intentions
The draft of Waymo's privacy policy reads, "Waymo may share data to improve and analyze its functionality and to tailor products, services, ads, and offers to your interests."
It further notes that users can opt out of sharing their information with third parties unless it's required for the service to function.
This is a standard practice in today's world, but the use of in-car camera data has raised concerns.
Opt-out option
Riders can opt out of data sharing
Waymo offers riders the option to prevent their personal information from being shared or sold, as per California's privacy laws.
Riders can also "opt out of Waymo, or its affiliates using your personal information (including interior camera data associated with your identity) for training [generative AI]."
It remains unclear how interior data might be used for generative AI models or what these cameras capture.
Expansion
Waymo's revenue model and future plans
Waymo is the only autonomous vehicle company making money from robotaxi rides in the US.
As of February, it was logging over 200,000 paid robotaxi rides weekly through its commercial services in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin.
Even with these gains and plans to launch a commercial service in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington D.C., Waymo is still likely a money loser for Alphabet.
Financials
Alphabet's investment and Waymo's financial status
Last year, Alphabet pumped another $5 billion into Waymo, with the company raising another $5.6 billion from external investors. This increased its valuation to over $45 billion.
However, it's not clear how close Waymo is to breaking even or making profits.
Alphabet doesn't reveal Waymo's financials in its earnings report. It is part of Alphabet's "other bets" section of its balance sheet which posted an operating loss of $1.2 billion in 2024.