Home services startup Pronto has landed in controversy after reports claimed the company may be using footage recorded inside customer homes to train physical AI and robotics systems.
The allegations emerged after investor documents reviewed by media platform Entrackr reportedly revealed that the company aims to formalize India’s informal labor market while also generating data to train ‘physical AI and robotics’. The documents further claimed Pronto had already started ‘piloting real-world training data with leading physical AI labs’.
The report triggered immediate concern online, with users questioning how customer data and in-home recordings were being handled.
Responding to the backlash, Pronto denied conducting hidden recordings in homes. In a statement posted on X, the company said cameras are not used by default during service visits.
The company stated that cameras are only involved when customers opt into a separate paid program. According to Pronto, the initiative currently covers only 0.1% of its customers and complies with India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) norms.
Pronto also claimed that whenever recording equipment is used, it is clearly visible to customers.
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The controversy intensified after an X user, identified as @AditiS90, alleged that her Pronto account was restricted shortly after she publicly questioned the company over the reports.
The user claimed her account had been functioning normally before her social media post gained traction online. The allegation added to the criticism surrounding transparency and customer trust.
Pronto has not publicly commented on the account restriction claim so far.
Urban Company Distances Itself from Controversy
The issue also pushed rival platform Urban Company to clarify its position.
Urban Company co-founder and CEO Abhiraj Singh Bhal said the company does not record activity inside customer homes and has no plans to introduce such practices.
In a post on X, Bhal said customer privacy remains central to the company’s operations and described trust as the foundation of the business.
The controversy has once again raised broader questions around consent, data collection, and privacy as AI-driven systems increasingly rely on real-world data for training.