Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of ArborScout, an AI-assisted tree hazard screening service operated by PineCloud Labs LLC (“PineCloud Labs,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). ArborScout is available at arborscout.app and related subdomains.

By using ArborScout, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the service.

1.The Service

ArborScout allows you to upload photographs of a tree and receive an AI-generated preliminary hazard screening report. The report is produced by large language model vision technology (currently OpenAI GPT-4o) and is intended solely as an informational starting point to help you decide whether to consult a certified arborist.

ArborScout also offers an optional service that connects you with third-party arborist professionals who may contact you to discuss your tree. Use of this referral feature is entirely optional and governed by your separate agreement with any arborist you engage.

2.AI Disclaimer — No Professional Advice

ArborScout is not an arborist, engineer, or licensed professional. The hazard screening reports it produces are generated by artificial intelligence analyzing photographs and are subject to significant limitations, including but not limited to:

• Photo limitations: The AI can only assess what is visible in the photographs you provide. Internal decay, root system health, soil conditions, and other subsurface or concealed defects cannot be detected from photographs alone.
• Model uncertainty: AI models can misidentify tree species, misinterpret visual features, and produce incorrect risk assessments. ArborScout scores and labels are probabilistic estimates, not definitive findings.
• No site visit: A professional Tree Risk Assessment (TRAQ) involves a physical site visit, tactile inspection, and professional judgment that cannot be replicated remotely or by AI.
• Dynamic conditions: Tree health and risk can change rapidly due to weather, disease progression, or mechanical damage. A scan result is a snapshot and may not reflect current conditions even days later.

ArborScout reports are intended to help you decide whether to seek professional consultation — not to replace it. If you have any concern about a tree's safety, you should consult a certified arborist regardless of ArborScout's output.

3.Disclaimer of Warranties

The service is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, PineCloud Labs LLC expressly disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to:

• Accuracy: We do not warrant that ArborScout reports are accurate, complete, reliable, or suitable for any particular purpose.
• Fitness for purpose: We do not warrant that the service is fit for any specific use case, including property insurance, real estate transactions, legal proceedings, or safety management decisions.
• Uninterrupted service: We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.

4.Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, PineCloud Labs LLC and its officers, employees, agents, and partners shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.

This limitation applies to all claims arising out of or relating to your use of ArborScout, including but not limited to:

• Property damage: Any damage to property — including your home, vehicle, fencing, or neighboring structures — resulting from tree failure before, during, or after using ArborScout, regardless of any risk score or label the service produced.
• Personal injury: Any personal injury or death resulting from tree failure.
• Reliance on AI output: Any loss or damage arising from your reliance on an ArborScout report in place of professional consultation.
• Service unavailability: Any loss arising from inability to access the service, including during periods of maintenance or outage.

In jurisdictions that do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, our liability is limited to the greatest extent permitted by law. In no event shall PineCloud Labs LLC's total cumulative liability to you exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid, if any, to use the service in the twelve months preceding the claim, or (b) fifty dollars (US $50.00).

5.Your Responsibilities

By using ArborScout, you agree that you will:

• Use results appropriately: Treat ArborScout output as a preliminary screening only and not as a definitive safety determination. Follow up with a certified arborist for any tree you believe may pose a hazard.
• Provide honest information: Submit only photographs of trees you own or have permission to assess. You represent that you have the right to submit the images and information you provide.
• Not misuse the service: Not use ArborScout for any unlawful purpose, to harass others, to submit fraudulent or misleading information, or to attempt to reverse-engineer, scrape, or disrupt the service.
• Assume risk for decisions: Accept that any action you take — or fail to take — based on an ArborScout report is your own responsibility. PineCloud Labs is not responsible for outcomes resulting from your decisions.

6.Acceptable Use

You may not use ArborScout to:

• Commercial resale: Resell, sublicense, or commercially distribute ArborScout reports without our written consent.
• Automated bulk scanning: Submit images through automated scripts, bots, or bulk processes designed to circumvent normal use patterns.
• Legal or insurance proceedings: Submit ArborScout reports as evidence in legal proceedings, insurance claims, or regulatory processes without appropriate professional supplementation and disclosure of the AI-generated nature of the report.
• Harm or harassment: Use the service in any way intended to harm, deceive, or harass any person or entity.

7.Intellectual Property

ArborScout, including its interface, scoring methodology, and all associated software, is owned by PineCloud Labs LLC and protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, or create derivative works from any part of the service without our written permission.

By submitting photographs to ArborScout, you grant PineCloud Labs LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to store, process, and use those images to provide the service and, in de-identified or aggregated form, to improve our AI models and research the detection of tree hazards.

8.Privacy

Your use of ArborScout is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. The Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and protect your personal information, including information collected through the optional arborist consultation request form.

9.Communications Consent (TCPA)

If you voluntarily submit the arborist consultation request form, you expressly consent to be contacted by phone call, text message (SMS/MMS), or email by PineCloud Labs LLC and/or certified arborist partner(s) regarding your tree assessment. This consent is not a condition of receiving any service. You may revoke consent at any time by replying STOP to any text message or by contacting us at support@pinecloudlabs.com. Message and data rates may apply.

10.Third-Party Services

ArborScout uses third-party services including OpenAI (for AI analysis) and Supabase (for data storage). Your use of ArborScout is subject to those services' terms and privacy policies. PineCloud Labs LLC is not responsible for the practices of third-party providers. Arborist professionals connected through ArborScout are independent contractors, not employees or agents of PineCloud Labs LLC. We are not responsible for the quality, safety, or legality of services provided by any arborist.

11.Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms as our service evolves. When we do, we will post the revised Terms at this URL and update the effective date above. Your continued use of ArborScout after the revised Terms take effect constitutes your acceptance of the changes. For material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you.

12.Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Louisiana, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or your use of ArborScout shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Louisiana, and you consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

Before initiating any legal action, you agree to first contact us at support@pinecloudlabs.com and provide a written description of the dispute, allowing us 30 days to attempt to resolve it informally.

13.Contact Us

Questions about these Terms? Contact us at: