Your Pokémon Go data has helped Niantic AI power urban delivery robots

When Pokémon Go debuted in 2016, it became an overnight sensation. From London to New York, it felt as though everyone had installed Niantic’s augmented reality Pokémon mobile app and had taken to the streets in a frenzied attempt to catch them all. While Niantic no longer owns Pokémon Go, which Scopely acquired in March 2025, the data collected by Niantic during those years is now being used to train robots.