Pokémon Go Data Wasn’t Shared With Drone Company, Niantic Spatial Says
Kotaku • • general
Key Points:
- Pokémon Go players’ AR scans have been used to build AI-powered map models, with Niantic Spatial owning the original scans after Niantic was acquired by Saudi-owned Scopely.
- Niantic Spatial partnered with Vantor, a spatial intelligence provider with defense industry ties, to develop navigation solutions for drones and ground platforms in GPS-denied environments.
- Concerns arose among players about potential military uses of their data, especially given Vantor’s defense connections, though both companies deny that Pokémon Go data is currently used in this partnership.
- Niantic Spatial clarified that Pokémon Go data is no longer shared with them following the game's transition to Scopely, and that AR scans were voluntarily submitted and used only for early model training.
- The controversy highlights ongoing unease over the use of consumer-generated data, especially when linked to companies with government or military affiliations.