Anker offered to pay Eufy camera owners to share videos for training its AI

In an intriguing move, Anker, the creator behind Eufy security cameras, has proposed a financial incentive for customers willing to share videos documenting theft incidents. The company is offering $2 for each video submitted, aiming to bolster its artificial intelligence systems designed to better identify thieves involved in package and vehicle thefts. Eufy has made it clear that they are interested in a variety of footage, including both genuine and staged events, to provide their AI with a comprehensive database of scenarios. Users can even act out thefts to create videos that will be used for training purposes. For those who might stage a car theft, Eufy suggests that it's possible to earn up to $80 by capturing multiple angles of the event with their outdoor cameras. This initiative underscores a growing trend where tech companies are incentivizing users to share personal data believed to be beneficial for AI training. While some users might appreciate the opportunity to monetize their data, there are notable concerns around privacy and security. A recent incident with Neon, a popular calling app, highlighted these risks when a security flaw exposed users' private recordings and transcripts. Eufy's campaign, which ran from December 18, 2024, to February 25, 2025, aimed to gather 20,000 videos each of package thefts and car door incidents. Over 120 users expressed their participation on the campaign's announcement page. To join in, users were required to fill out a Google Form where they could upload videos and provide their PayPal details for payment. Despite requests for further information, Eufy has not disclosed specifics about user participation, total payments, or the number of videos collected. The company has since embarked on similar initiatives, such as the Video Donation Program, which offers users various rewards for contributing videos aimed at enhancing AI systems. Rewards range from badges to tangible gifts like cameras and gift cards, and the program exclusively seeks videos featuring human interactions. Eufy’s app even includes an "Honor Wall" showcasing users who have contributed the most videos, with one user reportedly submitting over 200,000 videos. In their guidelines, Eufy reassures participants that the donated footage will solely be utilized for AI training and will not be shared with third parties. However, skepticism persists regarding Eufy's commitment to user privacy. In a revelation earlier this year, it was disclosed that Eufy’s camera streams, which were marketed as encrypted, were accessible in an unencrypted format through the company's web portal. Following scrutiny, Anker acknowledged the misleading claims and pledged to rectify the situation.