The definition
The California Consumer Privacy Act treats selling, renting, releasing, disclosing or otherwise making available a consumer's personal information to another business for monetary or other valuable consideration as a sale (California Attorney General). Licensing personal information for AI training in exchange for payment fits that description.
What a sale triggers
- Notice to consumers that their information is sold
- A "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" opt-out
- Honoring opt-outs, including browser signals such as Global Privacy Control
- Extra restrictions for consumers under 16
- Risk assessment duties under newer regulations
How AI data deals avoid it
Data that meets CCPA's de-identification standard is not personal information. That standard requires reasonable technical measures, a public commitment not to re-identify, and contract terms binding recipients (Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz). Most business data licenses therefore de-identify before transfer rather than sell personal information.
This is general information, not legal advice.