The Latest Breaking News from Pronto

Pronto, a home services startup, is facing criticism for using body-camera footage from workers inside customers’ homes to train AI and robotics systems. The company says customers can opt in for discounts, but critics argue the real business is collecting valuable in-home data for humanoid robots.

Recent data-gathering pilots by on-demand service platforms Pronto and Snabbit have drawn a spotlight on India’s emerging physical AI ecosystem – and put safety regulators on edge. Sources told ET that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has taken note of recent developments, especially Pronto’s in-home recording pilots.

Pronto's service professionals — who provide cleaning, washing, and meal preparation services — record their activities, generating videos that can help train physical AI systems. Following privacy concerns, the founders of rival platforms Urban Company and Snabbit clarified that they do not engage in such practices and have no plans…

As platforms raise prices and battle for workers, questions are emerging around the long-term size and profitability of the 10-minute househelp market. Companies are now expanding into adjacent categories such as cooking and car washing to deepen engagement and drive growth.