Zoom to train AI with consumer data

Zoom, the video conferencing app that became very popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, has updated its terms of service with conditions that grant it sweeping access to consumer data which it plans to use to train its artificial intelligence or machine learning services, Customers who agree to the new terms are not allowed to opt-out.

The service update which takes effect on 27 July comes at a time of public debate on the length AI organisations are willing to go to access consumer data for their technology.

“YOu consent to Zoom’s access, use, collection, creation, modification, distribution, processing, sharing, maintenance, and storage of Service Generated Data for any purpose, to the extent and in the manner permitted under applicable law, including for the purpose of…machine learning or artificial intelligence (including for the purpose of training and tuning of algorithms and models),” the Zoom latest terms noted.

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The company, however, clarified in a later post that it does not use audio, video or chat to train its AI models without getting customer consent.

“Our intention was to make clear that customers create and own their own video, audio, and chat content. We have permission to use this customer content to provide value-added services based on this content, but our customers continue to own and control their content. For example, a customer may have a webinar that they ask us to livestream on YouTube. Even if we use the customer video and audio content to livestream, they own the underlying content,” the content noted.

Zoom released two new generative AI features – a meeting summary tool and a tool for composing chat messages – on a free trial basis for customers, who can decide whether or not to use them. One of their AI tools help people catch up on things they missed. Another tool helps users compose messages in its Slack-like Team Chat app.

But when a user does enable these features. Zoom has them sign a consent form allowing it to train its AI models using their individual customer content.

However, Smita Hashim, chief product officer of Zoom, said that account owners administrators can choose if they want to turn on the features, which are still in trial stage, and people who turn them on will “be presented with a transparent consent process for training our aI models using your customer consent.”