Lenskart's Q1 FY27 earnings call revealed it fed 63 lakh eye test records into proprietary AI models. The company collects facial scans from 100,000 users daily, raising significant questions about consent under DPDPA. Users' biometric data, once captured, cannot be reset if compromised, unlike passwords or credit cards.
How We Got Here
Lenskart acquired AI-based computer vision startup Tango Eye in 2023 to monitor remote tests using CCTV. Since January, the eyewear giant has required facial scans from customers in stores and on its app.
The Numbers
- Founder Peyush Bansal stated AI-enabled self-eye tests entered pilot stores this quarter, built on "one of India's largest recorded eye test data sets."
- Remote testing stores now scaled to 786, with home tests live across 1,200+ pincodes.
- Lenskart claims to retain facial data for five years from last use or as long as services are provided, or as required by law.
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) mandates data processing strictly for the purpose for which consent was given.
- Bansal asserted remote test results are "far more consistent" than physical eye tests.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For founders building consumer tech in Mumbai and Delhi, Lenskart's case highlights the tightrope between leveraging AI for growth and navigating biometric data privacy under nascent Indian regulations.
The Take
Lenskart's aggressive AI adoption forces an early test of India's DPDPA on biometric data reuse. This case defines how user facial scans can legally train AI models, shaping data collection practices for all consumer tech companies operating at scale.
Source:
MediaNama ↗