What AI knows about you

Most artificial intelligence builders don't say where they are getting the data they use to train their bots and models—but legally they're required to say what they are doing with their customers' data. You might be just fine knowing that picture you just posted on Instagram is helping train the next generative AI art engine. But you might not—or you might just want to be choosier about what you share. AI makers need an incomprehensibly gigantic amount of raw data to train their large language and image models. The industry's hunger has led to a data land grab: Companies are vying to teach their baby AIs using information sucked in from many different sources—sometimes with the owner's permission, often without it—before new laws and court rulings make that harder.