As defunct companies' digital archives change hands for training AI, privacy advocates warn of substantial risks, despite rising commercial incentives among AI developers for real workplace data.
As the shutdown market around failed startups becomes more organised, some founders are now turning their company’s private digital trail into a final asset. Emails, Slack messages, Jira records and other workplace files are being packaged up and sold to artificial intelligence developers, with some deals reportedly worth tens of thousands of dollars and, in some cases, far more.
Forbes reported that AI labs are buying these archives to build what the industry calls reinforcement learning gyms: simulated workplace environments made from real company data, where agents can be trained to handle tasks that mirror everyday office work. That kind of material has become increasingly valuable as AI systems move beyond scraping public websites and towards training on data that captures how organisations actually operate.
SimpleClosure, a company that helps startups wind down by dealing with payroll, taxes and investor settlements, has moved into the market with a product called Asset Hub. According to the company, it helps sellers identify what data may be licensable, estimate its worth and strip out personally identifiable information before a deal is completed.
The commercial incentive is clear, but so are the privacy concerns. Forbes said SimpleClosure has handled nearly 100 such transactions over the past year, with payouts ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per company. Marc Rotenberg, founder of the Centre for AI and Digital Policy, told Forbes that the privacy issues are substantial, arguing that employee messages are not generic training material but identifiable records of real people. His group has also urged the US Senate Commerce Committee to press the Federal Trade Commission for tighter oversight of AI-related businesses.
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emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
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warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on April 17, 2026, and reports on a Forbes article from April 16, 2026. ([forbes.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/annatong/2026/04/16/ais-new-training-data-your-old-work-slacks-and-emails//?utm_source=openai)) The information appears to be current and original, with no evidence of prior publication or recycled content. However, the reliance on a single source (Forbes) for the primary information raises concerns about source independence.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Marc Rotenberg, founder of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, and Dori Yona, CEO of SimpleClosure. ([forbes.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/annatong/2026/04/16/ais-new-training-data-your-old-work-slacks-and-emails//?utm_source=openai)) While these quotes are attributed, they cannot be independently verified through other sources, which diminishes their reliability.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The primary source is Forbes, a reputable news organisation. However, the article heavily relies on a single source for its information, which raises concerns about the diversity and independence of the sources used. Additionally, the article includes a link to SimpleClosure's website, which may be considered promotional content and not an independent verification source.
Plausibility check
Score:
7
Notes:
The concept of defunct startups selling their internal communications to AI labs for training purposes is plausible and aligns with current trends in AI development. However, the article lacks specific details about the companies involved, the exact nature of the data sold, and the terms of these transactions, which makes it difficult to fully assess the accuracy of the claims.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents plausible information about defunct startups selling their internal communications to AI labs for training purposes. However, it heavily relies on a single source (Forbes) and includes unverifiable quotes, which raises concerns about source independence and the ability to independently verify the claims. The lack of specific details about the companies involved and the terms of these transactions further diminishes the article's reliability. Given these issues, the content cannot be fully verified, and publishing is not covered under our indemnity.
