Checklist

A dozen questions every AI data buyer should answer before you sign

Bring this list to the first conversation. Beside each question is what a straight answer sounds like, based on what buyers have put in writing. A serious buyer will welcome them.

AI Data Offers research deskChecked against our methodology Updated October 28, 2026 3 min read 15 sources

In this article

The list

1. Do you license the data yourselves, or introduce us to someone who does?
They name whoever writes the check. Most advertisers turn out to be brokers.
2. Who funds your fee, and what is it?
Pewter says its partner pays it on closing. Jottings says it keeps 20 to 30% of the seller's payout.
3. What is your registered company name and address?
micro1 gives a Delaware corporation. Some advertisers give nothing.
4. Which labs will receive our records?
Either a name or a candid explanation of why they cannot say.
5. Will we see a written price before anything is shared?
Yes, an offer in writing comes first. Several buyers describe this as standard.
6. When and how will we be paid?
A payment date written into the contract, typically 3 to 6 weeks after signing.
7. Is it exclusive, and for how long?
micro1: non-exclusive and perpetual. Polyshares: exclusive unless agreed otherwise. Troveo: exclusivity for a fixed period.
8. Can you pass the data to others?
Yes, if the license allows sublicensing, as micro1's does.
9. How will personal details be scrubbed, by whom, and will we see samples?
A named process, a sample review and, ideally, an independent check.
10. Do you need logins to our systems?
One law firm says buyers should have no access at all. If tools are connected, find out exactly what gets read.
11. How long will you keep our copy?
A set number of days in the contract: 30 for raw files at Nyne, 120 at micro1.
12. Can we speak with a seller you have already paid?
A reference you can phone. micro1 told the Spirit court it closed more than 50 data deals in 45 days.

Question	What a straight answer sounds like
1. Do you license the data yourselves, or introduce us to someone who does?	They name whoever writes the check. Most advertisers turn out to be brokers.
2. Who funds your fee, and what is it?	Pewter says its partner pays it on closing. Jottings says it keeps 20 to 30% of the seller's payout.
3. What is your registered company name and address?	micro1 gives a Delaware corporation. Some advertisers give nothing.
4. Which labs will receive our records?	Either a name or a candid explanation of why they cannot say.
5. Will we see a written price before anything is shared?	Yes, an offer in writing comes first. Several buyers describe this as standard.
6. When and how will we be paid?	A payment date written into the contract, typically 3 to 6 weeks after signing.
7. Is it exclusive, and for how long?	micro1: non-exclusive and perpetual. Polyshares: exclusive unless agreed otherwise. Troveo: exclusivity for a fixed period.
8. Can you pass the data to others?	Yes, if the license allows sublicensing, as micro1's does.
9. How will personal details be scrubbed, by whom, and will we see samples?	A named process, a sample review and, ideally, an independent check.
10. Do you need logins to our systems?	One law firm says buyers should have no access at all. If tools are connected, find out exactly what gets read.
11. How long will you keep our copy?	A set number of days in the contract: 30 for raw files at Nyne, 120 at micro1.
12. Can we speak with a seller you have already paid?	A reference you can phone. micro1 told the Spirit court it closed more than 50 data deals in 45 days.

Replies that call for caution

They want the full archive before mentioning a price.
The site gives no company name, address or terms.
The domain was registered a few weeks ago.
Their example deal appears verbatim on a competitor's site.

Any one of these on its own does not prove dishonesty, and many genuine brokers are new. Each one means you should ask for more on paper before anything is shared.

Replies that reassure

Contract terms published in advance, as micro1 does with its data license.
A named company and address, which Turing's Project Lazarus supplies.
An outside security audit; Mercor, for instance, states it has a SOC 2 Type II report.
Cleaning overseen by a court, as with Spirit Airlines.

File the answers

None of this requires a lawyer, just a notepad and the discipline to wait for replies in writing. Keep them on file, because anyone who later buys your company will ask about past data deals.

FAQ

Questions, answered

How can I tell I am dealing with a broker?

Ask who pays for the data. If they name a different company, the person you are talking to is a broker.

Should a buyer review our data before offering?

A small sample, at most. SimpleClosure's chief executive cautions against buyers who demand a full export before naming a real price.

What counts as a good deletion answer?

A specific number of days written into the contract, and candour that trained models are not deleted.

Should a buyer get access to our systems?

One law firm recommends against direct access. If a buyer insists on linking tools, establish exactly what it will read.

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Sources

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