In an iconic scene from the science fiction film minority report from 2002, the agent John Andton, played by Tom Cruise, is fighting through a shopping center when he is attacked by a large number of personalized ads from people such as Lexus, Guinness and American Express.
It was clearly intended as a warning of a not so determined dystopian future.
23 years later that the future here in the online world is at least partially partially and threatens to spread to other areas of daily life that are increasingly “interconnected”, such as: B. the interior of the cars. And according to Jane Manchun Wong, the online security researcher, the new test areas could be automated vehicles such as Waymo's robotaxis.
On X, Wong presented an unpublished version of the Waymo data protection guideline, which indicates that the company based in California is preparing the use of data from its robotaxis, including the inner cameras, to train generative AI models and offer targeted ads.
“Waymo can exchange data to improve and analyze its functionality and to adapt products, services, advertisements and offers for your interests,” says Waymo's unpublished data protection statement. “You can exchange your information to third parties, unless this is necessary for the functioning of the service.”
After comments on the unpublished app update, Waymo told the Verge that it “contained placeholder text, which does not reflect the purpose of the function exactly”.
Waymo's AI models are “not designed in such a way that this data identify individuals, and there are no plans to use this data for targeted ads,” said spokesman Julia Ilina.
Waymo's robotaxis, which works on the streets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, contain on board cameras that monitor the drivers. According to the Ilina, these are mainly used for the training of AI models for security reasons, to search for lost objects, check whether they are followed in the car and to improve the service.
The new function is still in development and offers drivers the opportunity to choose from data acquisition, says Ihlina.
However, since we have all used to ads that are based on everything based on everything that is somehow connected to the web, it seems that a once distancing vision of the future lies around the corner.
