AI might be spying on your office gossip. Say what!
What's the story
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the face of office work, but it also comes with a major threat to workplace confidentiality.
Alex Bilzerian, a researcher and engineer, recently recounted his experience with Otter AI, an AI platform to transcribe Zoom meetings.
He found that the smart assistant had recorded a confidential discussion even after he had left the meeting.
The transcript had sensitive business details from investors' private conversations that happened post-meeting.
Tech challenges
AI's rapid advancement outpaces our understanding
Bilzerian's incident highlights a rising worry with AI tech: It's evolving quicker than we can understand or regulate it.
Hatim Rahman, an associate professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, says while it may be a "reasonable assumption" for AI assistants to pick up when participants leave a meeting and stop transcribing, that's not always the case due to tech limitations.
Company response
Otter AI reaffirms commitment to user privacy
In light of Bilzerian's revelation, Otter AI reiterated its commitment to user privacy.
The company said it "understands the concerns" and is "committed to keeping your information private and secure."
It further clarified that users have full control over conversation sharing permissions, which can be changed or revoked at any time.
User control
Otter AI's recording and sharing protocols
OtterPilot, the AI assistant that records and transcribes meetings, only captures audio from the call and doesn't record anything said by a muted participant.
Participants are notified when a meeting is being recorded with the virtual assistant appearing as an attendee.
The company also has the ability to collect screenshots of meetings, including text or other media shared by participants. These can be shared with third parties that support or advertise with Otter or law enforcement in certain situations.
Privacy fears
Business owners express concerns over AI recording tools
Rob Bezdijan, owner of a Salt Lake City events business, revealed that he once lost a deal because he declined to let potential investors record the meeting on Otter.
He was hesitant about having his business ideas recorded and consequently left out certain details.
This incident highlights the growing apprehension among business owners regarding the use of AI recording tools in confidential meetings.
Legal implications
Experts warn of potential lawsuits from leaked company secrets
Naomi Brockwell, a researcher and privacy advocate, warned that the rapid proliferation of AI tech could lead to invasive privacy breaches.
She cautioned that this could increase the risk of company secrets being leaked and potentially result in lawsuits.
Will Andre, a cybersecurity consultant, also advised against uninformed widespread use of AI tools across companies after discovering a recording on his former employer's public servers that contained discussions about layoffs.