The Deep View: Big Tech companies already know you. AI startups want that privilege, too

Posted on April 29, 2025 by michelleclarke2015
Big Tech companies already know you. AI startups want that privilege, too
Source: Perplexity
The internet and social media companies that rose to prominence in the late 2000s and early 2010s have spent the past couple of decades — somewhat unwittingly — gathering the most vital component of the AI age: data. 
For them, the key thing was predictive analytics. Algorithms not too dissimilar from those that have become so popular today, designed to parse a ton of data points to predict what post, video or link will keep someone on the platform longer, or what ad an individual user might actually click on, or what time a push notification might actually result in an app being opened (and a purchase being made). 
These analytics are so powerful that the line between prediction and influence has become blurred to the point of nonexistence. 
And when these same companies decided to get in on the generative AI train, they were already fueled up with ceaseless quantities of the thing that makes algorithms work. Data, data, data, data. 
It’s an advantage that the AI startups want access to. 
What happened: The reason the AI search startup is building a browser, according to CEO Aravind Srinivas, is to know its users even better through access to additional data sources, all so the company can sell more personalized ads. 
“We want to get data even outside the app to better understand you. Because some of the prompts that people do in these AIs is purely work-related. It’s not like that’s personal,” he said on the TBPN podcast. He’s interested in the things people buy, the hotels and restaurants they go to, the specific subjects they browse for. “We plan to use all the context to build a better user profile and, maybe you know, through our discover feed we could show some ads there.” 
The browser is set to launch in May. 

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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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