WeTransfer is the latest platform to retract its terms which suggested that user files could be used to train its AI systems. Companies like Adobe have faced similar concerns because of their updated terms and eventually had to change the wording to calm the user base. WeTransfer is used by millions to share large sized files for free, something that Gmail and other clients don’t allow after a certain size limit. 

Not Training AI With Your Data 

WeTransfer has clarified the terms and gave a resounding message around the concerns of your data being used to train its AI systems. “We don’t use machine learning or any form of AI to process content shared via WeTransfer, “ the company has shared the update via a new blog post this week. It also adds that your data is not sold to third parties, which was another issue that has been raised before.

“The passage that caught most people’s eye was initially updated to include the possibility of using AI to improve content moderation and further enhance our measures to prevent the distribution of illegal or harmful content on the WeTransfer platform," the company cites the main cause of concern among its users. 

“You hereby grant us a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable license to use your Content for the purposes of operating, developing, commercializing, and improving the Service or new technologies or services, including to improve performance of machine learning models that enhance our content moderation process, in accordance with the Privacy & Cookie Policy," as mentioned in the WeTransfer terms and conditions, and people were clearly not pleased with how their content could become a tool to energise and improve AI for the company. 

However, the platform says it had considered building a feature for that in the future and using it. “To avoid confusion, we’ve removed this reference," the post adds. It does seem like WeTransfer like other companies had plans to integrate AI into its system, and maybe even have them trained on user data gradually but the backlash it faced recently has made them change the strategy and offer this detailed reasoning for its actions or lack of it. 

Any platform that deals in user data needs to be mindful of its terms and how it plans to share it with the consumers, especially with respect to their views and focus on AI and training the systems for the technology to get smarter and intuitive to their needs.