Waymo—Waymo found preparing to use interior camera data tied to rider identities for generative AI training
In April 2025, security researcher Jane Manchun Wong discovered an unreleased Waymo privacy policy page revealing plans to use interior camera data associated with rider identities for training generative AI models. The draft included opt-out language for riders. Waymo initially confirmed the feature was under development, but later denied using in-car footage for generative AI training, claiming the discovered text was inaccurate placeholder language. Each Waymo vehicle carries 29 external cameras, and the company's data retention policies for interior and exterior footage remain opaque.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate Transparency | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| User Privacy | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.463 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (medium ×1) × confidence (0.62)
Evidence (2 signals)
TechCrunch reported Waymo preparing to use interior camera data for generative AI training and ads
TechCrunch reported that security researcher Jane Manchun Wong discovered an unreleased Waymo privacy policy page with opt-out language for using interior camera data tied to rider identities for generative AI model training. Waymo spokesperson Julia Ilina initially confirmed the feature was under development, then later denied using in-car footage for generative AI training.
Gizmodo reported Waymo considering using in-vehicle cameras to sell ads and train AI
Gizmodo independently reported on the discovery of Waymo's unreleased privacy policy page indicating plans to use interior camera data for AI training and potential advertising purposes, corroborating TechCrunch's reporting.