Google has recently acquired Checks, an AI-powered tool designed to protect mobile apps from various privacy rules and regulations. It is also the first to officially exit from incubator Area 120, as part of Google’s shift to AI projects on a larger scale.
Checks was first developed in February 2022, though it had been in the works for some time. In Area 120, it was one of the biggest projects, co-founders Fergus Hurley and Nia Castelly reported, with a fully committed team of 10 people and several more making informal contributions. Under Google, the two founders have been appointed General Manager and Legal Lead for Checks.
Although the amount of investment Google put into the project is not specified, it is assumed that the project exited from Area 120 at some pre-determined price. While the number of customers using the Checks service is undisclosed, they are mainly from the gaming, health, finance, education, and retail industries. A few of these customers include Miniclip, Rovio, Kongregate, Crayola and Yousician, which together accounts for a total of over 3 billion users.
Checks uses AI and machine learning to monitor mobile apps and their code. This makes it easier to find privacy and data protection violations, as well as offer guidance on how to rectify the issues. In addition to Google Play’s data safety, Checks are also offering their services to the Apple App Store. Another interesting feature of the Checks service is a real-time dashboard, which users can use to observe compliance, data monitoring and store disclosure.
With the increasing privacy concern among consumers and the expectation of developers to adhere to rules of data protection, Checks provides a timely solution to a growing problem. As businesses and individuals start to take privacy more seriously, technology like Checks could eventually become an industry standard.
Google’s Area 120 incubator was previously in the limelight for making critical cuts and shifting its focus to AI. Out of the projects spared from all-out closure were two — Aloud, a video dubbing solution, and an unnamed consumer project from the former Liist team. However, nothing has been confirmed of either of these other projects. Clay Bavor, previously running Area 120, decided to be on his own way and is now working in partnership with Bret Taylor on a mysterious startup.
