We can’t just change the definition of ‘recording’
A Verge column argues AI gadgets blur recording by processing audio and video without saving raw files.
A Verge column argues Apple, Google, and others are stretching the meaning of “recording” for AI hardware that processes sensor data into text or detections and then deletes the raw audio or video. Bloomberg reported Apple is exploring a smart-home camera and future AirPods cameras that would describe scenes, including with facial recognition, without storing footage, similar to opt-in Audio Intelligence on Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4. Those watch features can produce a transcript of the past 15 seconds or summaries of conversations, while Apple says raw audio is deleted after processing in a secure enclave. The column also questions weak signals such as Meta’s white privacy light on Ray-Ban glasses and look-alike devices such as Oura and microphone-equipped rings.