At a time when Bengaluru-based startup Pronto is under fire for using its staffers to record videos inside customers’ homes, the founder of a data collection company has added fuel to fire. Human Archive founder Rushil Agarwal has taken a swipe at Pronto founder Anjali Sardana amid the ongoing controversy around the Bengaluru startup’s use of cameras inside customers’ homes to train AI systems.
Rushil Agarwal is one of the founders of Human Archive, a startup focused on collecting large-scale “human behaviour” datasets for training AI. The company records things like human movement, hand actions and real-world interactions to help train future humanoid robots and physical AI systems.
The idea is that robots can learn tasks such as cleaning, cooking or organising spaces by studying how humans perform them.
(Also read: Bengaluru startup Pronto, under fire for recording videos inside customers’ homes to train AI, clarifies)
Against the backdrop of the Pronto privacy row, Agarwal claimed that he had discussed this exact trend with Pronto founder Anjali Sardana months ago — only to be mocked for it at the time.
“She laughed at me”
“Back in January I spoke to Anjali Sardana from Pronto, she laughed at me and basically called me stupid for doing this and for some reason has a weird obsession with s***ting on early founders,” he said. ““Look at them now, Iwk props for catching onto the trend.”
The Human Archive founder’s comments are a direct reference to the backlash Pronto is currently facing over reports that some service professionals were using cameras during household jobs to collect data for training AI.
Pronto is a platform that connects users with trained domestic workers. Users can book slots through its app for services like sweeping, utensil washing, kitchen and bathroom cleaning, mopping, laundry and other household chores. The Bengaluru-based startup has hit a $100 million valuation in less than a year since its launch.
(Also read: 23-year-old behind $100M Bengaluru startup recalls sleeping on floor 9 months ago)
Anjali Sardana is the 23-year-old founder and CEO of Pronto. She launched the startup in April 2025. Before launching the startup, she worked at Bain Capital and venture firm 8VC, and studied at Georgetown University in the US.
Pronto’s clarification
Accused of recording activities inside customers’ homes to collect AI training data, Pronto yesterday issued a clarification saying customers have the choice to opt-in for the programme.
Pronto clarified that the programme was limited, opt-in and based on explicit user consent. The Bengaluru-based startup said recordings were being used to improve AI and robotics systems and that only a very small number of customers were part of the pilot.
“Unless you have opted-in and paid for the program personally, the Pro doesn’t come to the house with a camera. Opt in is not one time, it has to be affirmed before each booking. By default there is no camera involved, and when there is, it’s impossible to miss. The pilot reaches 0.1% of customers and we spent months to ensure full DPDP compliance. And we are not the only company in the space doing this,” the company posted on X.
(Also read: After Pronto row, Snabbit founder says ‘No customer’s home ever recorded by us’)
