Waymo is gearing up to utilize data collected from its robotaxi services, including video footage from inside the vehicles linked to rider identities, for training generative AI models. This information comes from an unpublished draft of its privacy policy discovered by researcher Jane Manchun Wong. The draft indicates that Waymo may also share this data to create personalized advertisements, raising new concerns about the extent to which rider behavior within autonomous vehicles could be used for AI training and marketing purposes.
The privacy policy states, “Waymo may share data to enhance and analyze its functionality and tailor products, services, ads, and offers to your interests. You can opt out of sharing your information with third parties unless it is essential for the service to function.” Such language is commonplace today, but the inclusion of interior cameras amplifies the potential for invasion of privacy.
Waymo offers riders the choice to prevent the sharing or selling of their personal information, as defined by California privacy laws. Riders can also “opt out of Waymo or its affiliates using your personal information (including interior camera data linked to your identity) for training [generative AI].”
However, it remains unclear what specific interior data might be used to develop generative AI models and what purposes those models would serve. It is also uncertain what type of data the interior cameras capture—such as facial expressions or body language—or if Waymo is using the data for its own AI models or sharing it with other Alphabet companies involved in AI, like Google or DeepMind.
TechCrunch has reached out to Waymo for more details and will provide updates if a response is received.
Currently, Waymo stands out as the only autonomous vehicle firm generating revenue through robotaxi rides in the United States. As of February, the company reported over 200,000 paid rides per week across its commercial services in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin—a significant increase from just 10,000 rides per week two years ago—signaling potential for further expansion into new markets, including planned commercial services in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. within the next two years.
Despite these advancements, Waymo is likely still a loss for Alphabet, which may explain the company’s exploration of additional revenue options, such as in-vehicle advertising and data sharing for generative AI model development. Last year, Alphabet invested an additional $5 billion into Waymo, and the firm secured $5.6 billion from outside investors, bringing its valuation to over $45 billion.
Waymo continues to funnel significant resources into research and development while managing costs related to fleet expansion, specialized equipment purchases, vehicle maintenance, and charging infrastructure.
It remains uncertain how close Waymo is to achieving profitability, as Alphabet does not disclose the financial details specific to Waymo in its earnings reports. Instead, Waymo is classified under Alphabet’s “other bets” section, which reported an operating loss of $1.2 billion in 2024.
