Pronto faces backlash for using in-home customer recordings to train AI

Domestic services startup Pronto is under fire for capturing in-home audio to train physical AI and robotics models. Rivals Urban Company and Snabbit publicly distanced themselves. Legal experts flag grey zones in India's DPDPA, which won't be enforceable until May 2027.

— Source publishedMon, 25 May, 2026, 16:43 IST·First seen Mon, 25 May, 2026, 16:52 IST·Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

Domestic services startup Pronto faces backlash over using in-home customer recordings to train physical AI and robotics models. Rivals Urban Company and

Key facts

  • 0.1%
  • DPDPA 2023
  • May 2027

Why this matters

Pronto's tarnished brand and isolated stance from Urban Company and Snabbit create a potential distressed-asset window, but any deal must price in retroactive DPDPA liability surfacing post-May 2027.