Pokémon Go data trained AI that could assist military drones in war zones
Data collected from players of the augmented reality game Pokémon Go has been used to train AI models that could assist military drones. Niantic, the game's creator, collected location scan data from users who opted into a feature requiring them to upload recordings of real-world locations. This data was used to train Niantic's foundation models for recognizing and interpreting physical spaces, which has now led to a partnership with Vantor, a company specializing in spatial detection software for drones, including military applications. The collaboration aims to enable drones to navigate in areas where GPS is unavailable or compromised, raising ethical concerns about the use of civilian data for military purposes. AI
IMPACT Highlights the ethical challenges of using consumer data for dual-use AI technologies and the potential for unintended military applications.