Elon Musk’s xAI is facing ethical questions after reports surfaced that employees were required to submit biometric data, including facial and voice recordings, to train its AI chatbot, ‘Ani.’ The anime-style avatar chatbot, accessible to X’s SuperGrok subscribers, aims to provide a more human-like interaction. However, xAI’s methods have raised concerns about potential data misuse. Employees were reportedly asked to sign release forms granting xAI broad rights to utilize their biometrics for training Ani and other AI models. Internal discussions revealed employee anxieties about their data being sold to third parties or exploited for deepfakes. Despite these reservations, employees were allegedly informed that participation in the biometric data collection was a condition of employment. This incident underscores the growing ethical complexities surrounding the use of personal biometric information in the development of artificial intelligence.
xAI’s Biometric Data Collection for ‘Ani’ Sparks Employee Concerns
