Waymo is preparing to use data from Robotaxis, including videos from interior cameras associated with the rider’s identity, to train the generated AI model, according to an unpublished version of the privacy policy discovered by researcher Jane Manchun Wong.
The draft language reveals that Waymo could share this data and personalize ads, raising fresh questions about how much the behavior of riders in self-driving cars can be reused for AI training and marketing.
The Privacy page states: “Waymo may share data to improve and analyze data and coordinate products, services, advertisements and offers. You may opt out of sharing information with third parties unless required for the functionality of the service.”
The language is standard in today’s world. Bringing the camera into the mix is something that ratchets the creepy factor.
Waymo offers riders the option to prevent personal information from being shared or sold, as defined by California Privacy Act. The rider “uses personal information (including interior camera data related to your identity) to opt out of Waymo or its affiliates for training (generated AI).”
It is not clear what internal data used to train the generated AI models, or what intended use cases for such models are. Also, isn’t it clear what kind of data the interior cameras capture? Body language? – Or whether Waymo uses data to train an internal model, or whether it shares that data with other alphabet companies working with AI, such as Google or DeepMind.
TechCrunch will check with Waymo for more details and update this post if the company responds.
Waymo is the only autonomous vehicle company so far that draws revenue from US Robotaxi rides. As of February, the company has recorded more than 200,000 paid Robotaxis rides each week through commercial services in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix and Austin. This has risen from 10,000 rides in the week just two years ago, and is a precursor to more growth as Waymo expands into new markets. The company aims to launch commercial services in Atlanta, Miami and Washington, DC over the next two years.
Despite these benefits, Waymo is likely to still be a loser of alphabet money, so it may seem like the company is exploring other revenue streams, such as data sharing in-car ads and generated AI models.
Last year, Alphabet poured another $5 billion into Waymo, raising another $5.6 billion from outside investors who increased its valuation to more than $45 billion.
Waymo has invested heavily in R&D, including expanding its fleet, purchasing specialized equipment, vehicle maintenance, and charging infrastructure, and is carrying the expansion costs.
It’s not clear how far Waymo is from being evenly even. Alphabet will not split Waymo’s finances in its revenue report. Instead, Waymo is included in the “Other Bets” section of Alphabet’s balance sheet, recording an operating loss of $1.2 billion in 2024.