Utilizing Customer Content to Power Zoom AI Models

Users are expressing worries about their data being utilized without their permission as major apps such as Google, Microsoft, and Zoom incorporate AI tools. Bard, Google’s generative AI, recently encountered problems related to data extracted from public internet sources. Concerns surrounding Zoom’s AI models have become so significant that the company’s Chief Product Officer addressed the issue to alleviate concerns. Emphasizing the importance of data security, Zoom CPO Smita Hashim unveiled an updated version of the terms of service for its AI feature.

Zoom’s updated terms of use

Zoom CPO, Hashim’s blog post said the company wants to work to increase data ownership transparency in its terms of service. The change took place in March 2023.

Hashim writes: “Our intention was to make it 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 that content, but our customers still own and control their content.”

According to a Stack Diary report. Sections 10.2 and 10.4 mostly highlighted how Zoom handles user data.

Section 10.2 outlines that Zoom may access, use, collect, share, manage and store information generated by the Services with the user’s consent “for any purpose”. Application categories here include machine learning or artificial intelligence, including the training and refinement of algorithms and models. Section 10.4 states that the ownership of the webinar invitations remains with the customer and the Zoom license enables the service to be provided using the content. However, in AI, it does not use audio, video or chat content to train models without user permission.

Hashim added that users can also allow the app to access and export their content to their AI models. It was also mentioned that user content is only used to improve the customer experience and to make artificial intelligence services more efficient.

The blog text also states that the AI will not use education or medical information to train its AI models without the user’s permission.

Also note that Zoom’s AI features have been enabled for trial use. The AI feature includes automatic meeting summaries and AI-driven chat configuration. Zoom account owners and administrators can enable these AI features.