Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, is preparing to harness data from its robotaxis, including video footage from interior cameras tied to rider identities, to train generative AI models. This move has raised fresh questions about the extent to which rider behavior inside autonomous vehicles could be repurposed for AI training and targeted advertising.

The revelation comes from an unreleased version of Waymo's privacy policy, uncovered by researcher Jane Manchun Wong. The draft language indicates that Waymo may share this data to personalize ads, a practice that has sparked concerns about the potential misuse of sensitive information. While the company provides opt-outs for data sharing under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the use of interior camera data for AI training and marketing purposes has significant implications for rider privacy.

The privacy page in question states that Waymo may share data "to improve and analyze its functionality and to tailor products, services, ads, and offers to your interests." While this language is standard in today's digital landscape, the inclusion of cameras in the mix significantly increases the creepiness factor. Riders can opt out of sharing their personal information, as defined by California's privacy laws, from being shared or sold. Additionally, they can prevent Waymo or its affiliates from using their personal information, including interior camera data associated with their identity, for training generative AI models.

However, it remains unclear what specific interior data might be used to train generative AI models or what the intended use cases of such models are. Furthermore, it is not obvious what type of data the interior cameras capture – facial expressions, body language, or other forms of rider behavior. It is also unclear whether Waymo is using the data to train in-house models or sharing it with other Alphabet companies working on AI, such as Google or DeepMind. TechCrunch has reached out to Waymo for more information and awaits a response.

Waymo is currently the only autonomous vehicle company generating revenue from robotaxi rides in the United States. As of February, the company is logging over 200,000 paid robotaxi rides every week via its commercial services in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin. This represents a significant increase from 10,000 rides per week just two years ago and is a harbinger of more growth as Waymo expands into new markets. The company aims to launch a commercial service in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington D.C. over the next two years.

Despite these gains, Waymo is still likely a money loser for Alphabet, which might be why the company appears to be exploring other revenue streams, such as in-vehicle advertising and data sharing for generative AI models. Last year, Alphabet poured another $5 billion into Waymo, and the company raised an additional $5.6 billion from outside investors, boosting its valuation to more than $45 billion. Waymo is still investing heavily in R&D and incurring the costs of expansion, including growing its fleet, buying specialized equipment, vehicle maintenance, and charging infrastructure.

It is unclear how far Waymo is from breaking even, much less achieving profitability. Alphabet doesn't break out Waymo's financials in its earnings report, instead including it in the "other bets" section of its balance sheet, which recorded an operating loss of $1.2 billion in 2024. As Waymo continues to expand its services and explore new revenue streams, the implications of its data collection and sharing practices will be closely watched by regulators, privacy advocates, and riders alike.