What to say when a customer asks, 'Did you sell our data to AI?'
Answer a customer's AI-data question with the facts of your own scope: say what was licensed, what was excluded, who approved it and how customers can ask follow-ups. Never deny what is true, never promise what you cannot verify, and route detailed questions to the owner or counsel. The templates below cover the common scopes.
When to use these replies
Use them when a customer, procurement team or security reviewer asks in writing or on a call whether your company sells, shares or trains AI on their data. The questions now appear in vendor questionnaires and renewal reviews, so account managers and support leads need a prepared, accurate answer.
The right reply depends on what your company actually did. A company that has not licensed anything should say so plainly. A company that is exploring a license should say what is in scope and, just as important, what is out.
Licensing is not selling. In a SourceX deal the company keeps ownership, the data is licensed for an agreed term, and nothing is binding until the company agrees price and terms and signs.
Which reply fits your situation?
Pick the row that matches the facts, then use the matching template below. If none match, escalate before replying.
| Your situation | Safe position | Owner of the reply |
|---|---|---|
| No license exists and none is planned | "No. We have not licensed customer data to anyone for AI." | Account manager |
| Exploring a license; customer content excluded | "We are evaluating licensing only internal operational records. Customer content is out of scope." | Owner or CEO, then account manager |
| License signed; customer content excluded and records de-identified | Say what categories were licensed and what was removed | Owner plus counsel |
| Customer contract restricts AI use of their content | Treat as a hard stop for that customer's material; check the contract first | Counsel |
| You do not know | "I will confirm and come back to you by {date}." | Escalate internally |
Template 1: nothing has been licensed
Only send this if someone with authority has confirmed it. A denial that turns out to be wrong is worse than a short delay.
Template 2: exploring a license of internal records only
This works only when the exclusion is real. The company should agree the exclusion in writing with SourceX and the buyer before it tells customers about it.
Template 3: a license is signed
Have the company's counsel review this wording against the signed agreement. Do not name the buyer unless the agreement allows it.
What never to say
- "We would never do that." Never use absolutes you cannot back up.
- "It is all anonymous." Say what de-identification rules were agreed, not that risk is zero.
- "Your data is safe." Describe controls and scope instead.
- "Everyone does it." It does not answer the question.
- "This is just a standard clause." Customers read that as evasion.
- Any reference to what the company earns, or to a partner reward.
In its January 2024 post on keeping privacy and confidentiality commitments, FTC staff said that a company's promise not to use customer data for undisclosed purposes, such as training or updating models, may need to be honored. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm with your own counsel, tax adviser or professional body before acting.
How to personalize and send the reply
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find the contract and privacy notice the customer is under | The answer must match what you promised them |
| 2 | Confirm the facts with the owner or authorized sponsor | One source of truth |
| 3 | Pick the template and fill the braces | Keeps wording consistent across the team |
| 4 | Have counsel read anything that mentions a signed license | Wording must match the agreement |
| 5 | Log the question and reply in your CRM or ticket | Next reviewer gets the same answer |
For wider context on why owners ask these questions before agreeing to anything, see why earlier data monetization attempts failed and how a company can respond if AI law changes. A sponsor's concerns about brand risk are covered in the portfolio reputational risk guide, and the buyer-side exposure is explained in whether licensed data can be subpoenaed.
If the customer is not satisfied
Offer a call with the owner, not a longer email. If the customer's contract bars AI use of their content, confirm that their material is excluded and give them the date and method of the exclusion. If you cannot make that statement truthfully, the company should not proceed until it can.
Next step
If you advise owners who are weighing a license, read how companies sell data to AI developers, then register as a partner to make an introduction. See the referral FAQ for how the program works.
- Step 1Share your linkSend your personal link to a company you know.
- Step 2Company appliesThe company applies itself at /apply.
- Step 3Buyer selects and paysThe buyer selects and pays for the data and SourceX receives its fee.
- Step 4You get your rewardYour share of SourceX fees becomes payable.
Common questions
Should we tell customers before we sign a license?
That depends on your customer contracts and privacy notices. Some contracts require notice or consent for new uses of their information. Have counsel review the contracts first, and tell customers about excluded categories in advance if they are likely to ask. Do not wait for a questionnaire to surface the issue.
Can we say the data was anonymized?
Only if the agreed de-identification rules actually remove identifying information and your counsel confirms the term fits. Safer wording is to describe the redaction rules approved before delivery and the categories excluded, rather than claiming risk is zero.
Who should reply, the account manager or the owner?
Account managers can send a pre-approved template for common questions. Anything that mentions a signed license, a specific contract or a named customer should be reviewed by the owner or authorized sponsor and counsel before it goes out.
What if a customer demands a deletion or opt-out?
Do not improvise. Check what the contract and any applicable law require, log the request and escalate to the owner and counsel. If their material is outside the licensed scope, say so in writing.
Does a referral partner talk to customers about this?
No. A partner only introduces the company and gives basic fit information. Customer communications are the company's responsibility, and partners never see or describe confidential records.
Related pages
- We tried data monetization and it failed. How is AI data licensing different?
- What happens if AI law changes after a company licenses its data?
- Portfolio data licensing and reputational risk: a sponsor's guide to doing it cleanly
- Can data licensed to an AI buyer be subpoenaed from the buyer?
- How to sell data to AI companies
- SourceX referral program frequently asked questions
Free resources
- Business succession planning assessment — Ten questions on successor, transition and documentation.
- NPV calculator — Net present value with a discounted cash flow table.
- Time value of money calculator — Future and present value with optional regular payments.
- All free tools · MCP resource center
By SourceX Partnerships Team · Published 2026-10-09 · Updated 2026-10-09
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