Google has reinforced its commitment to artificial intelligence (AI) by updating its privacy policy to underscore the utilization of user data for training AI models.
Effective from July 1, 2023, Google has implemented a revised privacy policy for its users, as highlighted by Gizmodo. The policy amendment, documented on Google’s official policy site, features a significant change.
Google has long maintained a policy allowing the collection of user data for “business purposes,” including research and development endeavors such as the enhancement of Google Translate.
In its most recent policy update, Google expands the scope of data utilization to encompass AI models. This includes leveraging user data for the training of products like Bard and Cloud AI.
According to the updated policy excerpt (new text in italics):
“Google employs information to optimize our services and innovate new products, features, and technologies that deliver benefits to our users and the general public. For instance, we harness publicly available information to assist in the training of Google’s AI models and the creation of products and features such as Google Translate, Bard, and Cloud AI capabilities.”
Furthermore, Google explicitly acknowledges that publicly available information can also contribute to the training of these models:
“By way of illustration, we may gather publicly accessible online information or data from other public sources to aid in the training of Google’s AI models and the development of products and features like Google Translate, Bard, and Cloud AI capabilities. Additionally, if your business information is featured on a website, we may index and present it on Google services.”
Importantly, Google’s updated policy does not indicate any intention to employ private data associated with user accounts for training purposes. Instead, it focuses solely on the use of publicly available information. This practice aligns with the existing utilization of data witnessed in the proliferation of AI models such as ChatGPT. However, Google’s policy revision explicitly communicates the company’s intention to apply the same approach to user data.