Gotta Catch ‘Em All – Including Your Personal Data?

Pokémon Go is one of the most popular mobile games in the world, and with a huge player base, it collects a lot of data. In the game, players hunt for digital characters, known as Pokémon, spread across various real-world locations. By using their phones as a virtual window, they can see the Pokémon appear on the screen.

The Pokémon GO map itself isn’t a new concept. What’s surprising, however, is that Niantic, the company behind Pokémon GO, recently revealed in a blog post that they have been using collected player data to train their Large Geospatial Model (LGM). Inspired by the large language models (LLMs) behind chatbots like ChatGPT, they hope it can understand and work with the physical world as easily as ChatGPT works with language. Through this technology, Niantic aims to create a detailed 3D representation of the world, already with a database of over 10 million scanned locations worldwide.[1]

“Large Geospatial Models will help computers perceive, comprehend, and navigate the physical world in a way that will seem equally advanced. Analogous to LLMs, geospatial models are built using vast amounts of raw data: billions of images of the world, all anchored to precise locations on the globe, are distilled into a large model that enables a location-based understanding of space, structures, and physical interactions” – Niantic, 2024

Using Vast Amounts of Raw Data

Niantic’s statement highlights a critical point: “using vast amounts of raw data.” Niantic’s reliance on extensive data collection lies at the heart of its innovations.

However, this practice raises concerns about user awareness, consent, and the level of transparency from Niantic as the responsible party. While Niantic emphasizes that participation in location scans is voluntary, it is questionable whether users fully understand how their data is collected, processed, and ultimately used to train AI. These concerns underscore the need for companies to use clear, precise language in their privacy policies and terms of service to ensure transparency and enable truly informed consent. 

This issue reflects a broader challenge within the AI industry: striking a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The Broader Implications: Transparency, Ethics, and the AI Act

A case like this highlights the pressing need for greater transparency, stronger ethical considerations, and enhanced competency among companies in managing the intersection of data collection and AI development. 

To address the rapid growth of AI, the EU has introduced the European Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), designed to ensure the safe and ethical development and use of AI systems. While AI has many benefits, it can also be misused for manipulation, exploitation, and social control. While a 3D map of the world can offer exciting technological possibilities, it can also be used to track and locate individuals.

The AI Act establishes a comprehensive, risk-based framework for the development and deployment of AI systems, applying different rules based on the level of risk they pose. The AI Act officially came into force on August 1, 2024. While most of the AI Act’s provisions will come into effect on August 2, 2026, certain rules will be enforced earlier. This transitional period offers an opportunity for companies to reassess their AI practices and for customers, users, and society at large to consider how their actions and data shape the future of AI development.

Does your company fully understand what the AI Act entails and how it may impact your operations?

Everything Comes at a Cost

With technology advancing rapidly and regulations like the AI Act working to catch up, it’s worth reflecting on your role in this evolving landscape. 

For all of us: Be mindful of your personal data—understand what you’re sharing and why. Who truly benefits?

More importantly, for companies: With great innovation comes even greater responsibility. How is user data being collected, protected, and used? Ultimately, what role does your company play in shaping a digital world that is ethical, transparent, and fair?

Elena Pancevski

Associate


[1] https://nianticlabs.com/news/largegeospatialmodel

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