Industry & Policy

AI labs buy data from defunct startups to train models

Original titleAI labs are buying data from dead startups to train their models

Outlet: MIT Tech Review
Published: Oct 13, 2026
Importance: 3/5

Summary

AI laboratories are purchasing data from failed startups to train their models. One founder sold a defunct cryptocurrency startup's code base and data for approximately $25,000.

Original excerpt

When Keelan Miskell began winding down his crypto startup this year, he didn’t think its data was worth much: the users were anonymous, the company just a few years old. But he’s since turned the firm’s digital archives into real money. He’s netted roughly $25,000 for his code base and a still-pending amount (likely around…

#startup#training#data

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