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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly shaping the digital landscape. Whether it is chatbots such as ChatGPT, virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa, and personal recommendations on streaming platforms or revolutionary advancements on healthcare, finance and education, AI is pretty much unavoidable, even if you live a digital-free life.
The constant growth of AI has been met with criticism and concerns over data privacy, causing governments across the world to start adapting their data laws and regulations. However, with its rapid evolution and the inability for regulation to keep up, it’s unsurprising that those training AI models are now facing scrutiny for their unethical practices in the collection and use of personal data.
At the heart of the growing controversy, Barings Law are taking action against tech giants Microsoft and Google over their alleged misuse of personal data to train AI models. Our team of data privacy experts are preparing to represent tens of thousands of individuals who believe their information has been used without their knowledge or consent.
What are the allegations against Microsoft and Google?
Both Microsoft and Google are facing legal action for their data protection and privacy practices. After almost two years of investigating, it is now believed that the tech titans have been collecting public and personal data from their users and using it to train their AI models without obtaining proper informed consent.
While these organisations insist their practices fall within legal and ethical guidelines, the core issue lies in whether users were given a fair opportunity to opt out and if sufficient transparency was provided about how their information would be used.
Take LinkedIn for example. The Microsoft owned business-focused social media platform came under fire for opting its non-EU users into sharing data with its AI tool without any notification. However, it didn’t take long for people to clock on to the fact that data from profiles, connections and activity was being used to refine the AI model. In the UK, there was enough pushback from the public and concerns raised by the Information Commissioner’s Office that the platform made a U-turn on silently using UK user data to train its AI models.
Alongside the UK pushback, many users across the globe opted out immediately once they found the option hidden in their settings, showing a broader discomfort about how personal data is being utilised, particularly without consent.
Why does it matter if my data was used without my knowledge and consent?
AI isn’t this terrible new thing that’s going to take over the world and take everyone’s jobs in the form of robots like we’ve been led to believe, although lack of transparency hasn’t really helped there. In fact, especially in terms of using technology, AI can enhance user experience, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important to have control over how personal data is used.
Models that rely on vast amounts of user information raise many ethical questions about transparency, data sharing and protection. Giving users the chance to opt out with enough guidance about what their data is being used for gives them the power to make an informed decision to protect their details.
What data is Microsoft and Google accused of using to train AI?
Microsoft and Google are thought to have been collecting data from a wide range of their services and products. While AI training often relies on large data sets, much of the information being used is personal and linked to users’ private lives.
Some of the data at the centre of the misuse claim includes:
Email and other communication data – If you use Outlook or Gmail, your emails, email attachments and even calendar events may be accessed to train AI models.
Social media – If you have a LinkedIn profile, your data could have been used to train AI, particularly during the period when the platform automatically opted its users into sharing data without any warning.
Gaming and other entertainment – If you have a gaming account with Microsoft or Google, such as Xbox Game Pass or Google Play, your activity may have been used to help train AI. This includes your gaming activity, the games or films you download and how you interact with other users.
Cloud storage and personal files – Personal documents such as photos and videos stored in Google Drive, Google Photos, or OneDrive may have been used to improve AI recognition capabilities.
Business tools – If you have used Google Business tools such as Analytics, Ads and Google Business Profile, this data could have been harvested and used. This may also include work teams that rely on shared documents such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Meet.
At this moment in time, you may as well say that if you’ve ever used any of these products your data has been scraped and used to train their AI models. The most alarming aspect of this is the personal information (emails, messages, and private photos) that is being absorbed into AI systems without our knowledge or full control.
Artificial Intelligence needs data from all sources to develop, but that should not mean our personal lives should be part of that, particularly without our knowledge.
What can I do?
At Barings Law, we have launched legal action against Microsoft and Google over the misuse of personal data to train AI models. If you have ever used Microsoft or Google products, your data could have been affected and you could be eligible to submit a claim for compensation.
As far as we are aware, we are the UK’s first law firm to pursue compensation claims for those whose data may have been used for AI development purposes, leading the charge in defending privacy rights. We have already signed up more than 15,000 people who wish to put a stop to tech giants using their data without proper consent.
If you want to be part of our fight, you can submit a claim by clicking on the button at the bottom of this page. You can submit a claim against both Microsoft and Google. The claim form is quick and easy to fill in, it will only take a couple of minutes of your time.
What’s better is that we work on a no-win no-fee basis, meaning you will have nothing to pay unless we win the claim on your behalf, meaning we will do what it takes to ensure we get you the money you deserve with no financial risk whatsoever. However, it is important that you cooperate with us at every stage and are open and honest with our legal teams.
At Barings Law, your legal concerns are our top priority. Whether you need guidance on a complex legal matter or have questions about our services, our team is ready to assist you.
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