Niantic Spatial Says 30 Billion Pokémon Go Scans Helped Train AI, Not Shared With Vantor
Updated
Updated · PC Gamer · Jun 11
Niantic Spatial Says 30 Billion Pokémon Go Scans Helped Train AI, Not Shared With Vantor
3 articles · Updated · PC Gamer · Jun 11
Summary
Niantic Spatial said Pokémon Go AR scans were one input used to train its visual-positioning AI, which is being adapted with Vantor for navigation in GPS-denied environments tied to military drones.
December 2025 marked the companies' partnership, combining Niantic Spatial's ground-based localization with Vantor's aerial systems to build an air-to-ground positioning network that can work without satellite GPS.
Niantic Spatial and Vantor both said Vantor does not have access to actual Pokémon Go data, and Niantic Spatial lost access to those scans after Scopely bought Niantic's game business in 2025.
Nearly 30 billion scans were collected from players who opted into AR mapping, and an ethics expert said that volume likely accelerated military-use AI development even if the contribution was indirect.
The dispute highlights how broad game data licenses can feed commercial AI systems far beyond entertainment, raising consent and military-use concerns for players.