Ollie says it will not use family data to train AI models

In short: Ollie, a text-based AI assistant for families, says it will not use your personal data to train AI models or share it with others, and it has passed a SOC 2 security audit.

What happened

Ollie is an AI assistant that works over text messages and connects to tools like your calendar and email to help manage family life. It can help with scheduling, meal planning, grocery lists, to-do tracking, booking appointments, and paying bills in group chats. The company says it is building the product around privacy, even though it needs access to everyday details to be useful.

Ollie says it achieved SOC 2 compliance. SOC 2 is a security standard that requires an independent check of a company’s processes for protecting customer data (like an outside inspector reviewing how a business stores and handles sensitive documents).

Ollie’s CEO Bill Lennon told TechCrunch the company’s business model is a subscription, and that it does not share user data with anyone. The article notes that other assistants have faced criticism for broad privacy terms, including language that allows using user materials for AI training.

Ollie also says it does not ask users for usernames or passwords. For some tasks, it uses its own browser running in the cloud (a remote computer) and sends the user a link to a session to log in or approve actions. The downside is that users may need to log in more often.

Why it matters

AI assistants can feel like a helpful household organizer, but only if they can see parts of your life that are normally private. If Ollie follows through on its promises, it could give families a clearer option for getting help with daily tasks without also donating their personal information to train someone else’s AI.

Source: TechCrunch AI