Pronto admits to recording users' home videos. Purpose? AI training
What's the story
Bengaluru-based start-up Pronto has sparked a major controversy after it was revealed that the company recorded videos inside customers' homes while their staff performed cleaning tasks. The revelation came from Entracker, which cited investor documents indicating that the on-demand household services firm was using these recordings to train AI-enabled robotics. The move has raised serious privacy concerns among customers.
Data strategy
Internal memo reveals details about the data collection
An internal memo from one of Pronto's investors, Glade Brook Capital, was cited in the Entracker report. It said, "Pronto is seeking to formalize India's vast informal labor markets and in the process generate data to help train physical AI and robotics." The memo further revealed that the company is already piloting real-world training data with leading physical AI labs.
Company defense
Customers can opt-in to have jobs recorded
In light of the report, Pronto has admitted to conducting a limited pilot around AI-related data initiatives. However, the company stressed that customers could voluntarily choose to have jobs recorded. The start-up clarified that its professional carries "a small camera that faces outward at the work," and customers get access to the footage afterward.
AI training needs
Need to capture real-world data for physical AI systems
Pronto has emphasized that it needs to capture "a first-person video of people doing real tasks, such as washing dishes and folding laundry, in real environments" for training physical AI systems. Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that operate in and interact with the physical world rather than existing only in software or digital environments.
Privacy issues
Outcry among urban professionals over privacy concerns
The report has raised a major outcry among urban professionals who often rely on household services for domestic tasks. The main concern is that, unlike other app-based platforms, which track user behavior through clicks and cookies, Pronto is recording in one of the most private environments possible—people's homes. While the vision to train physical AI with real-world data is exciting investors, privacy remains a huge concern.
CEO statement
Users can opt-in to have their jobs recorded
Pronto's CEO and co-founder, Anjali Sardana, said the pilot covers 0.1% of users and is meant for customers who feel uneasy about allowing unfamiliar workers into their homes while they are away. "They worry about what's happening in their home during their booking. Something may be stolen or broken, or work may not be done properly," Sardana told The Times of India.