Apple testing 'Live Notes,' AI system that records customer interactions
What's the story
Apple is said to be testing a new artificial intelligence (AI) system, dubbed "Live Notes," in select stores. The innovative technology records and transcribes customer interactions at the Genius Bar (Apple's in-store tech support and repair desk), according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The transcripts are then stored in Apple's internal system for future reference. The main objective of this initiative is to allow employees to focus more on providing quality customer service rather than taking notes during these sessions.
Consent requirement
Customer and employee consent required for recordings
The Live Notes system, as per Gurman's report, requires both the Apple Store employee and the customer to give their consent before a session is recorded.
This feature has been introduced to address privacy concerns raised by some Apple retail employees.
They were worried that these recordings could be used for monitoring or evaluating worker performance in the future.
However, Apple has assured that no audio recordings are stored and managers don't have access to transcripts.
Editing feature
Employees can edit transcripts
Apple has also given its employees the ability to edit both the transcript and summary before they are saved into Apple's internal system.
This feature is part of the company's effort to make sure that its workers have control over what information is stored in their records.
As of now, it's still unclear whether Apple plans to roll out this system across more stores or make it mandatory for all employees.
Misuse fears
Concerns among Apple retail employees
Despite these assurances, the introduction of the Live Notes system has raised concerns among some Apple retail employees.
They fear that the recordings could be used to coach workers or even impact their performance reviews.
However, Apple has maintained that these recordings are not stored and managers don't receive transcripts from this system.
The company also clarified that participation in this program is completely voluntary for both employees and customers alike.