Amazon adds option allowing users to disable human reviews of their Alexa recordings

Amazon Echo device (Andres Urena/Pexels)

Amazon has annouced that it will allow users to opt-out of its manual review program that employs humans to listen to, transcribe, and annotate audio clips recorded by Alexa.

Amazon wrote the following to Bloomberg:

“We take customer privacy seriously and continuously review our practices and procedures,” the Amazon spokeswoman wrote in an email Friday. “We’ll also be updating information we provide to customers to make our practices more clear.”

Amazon Alexa

Alexa is embedded in more devices than any other AI assistant, from kitchen appliances to cars, security cameras and jewlery. She also plays multiple roles. At times a home automator, Alexa can also be a point-of-contact with police and an audio playmate for children. She may also soon speak with others on your behalf, according to announcements from Amazon's latest hardware event. Follow news on Alexa here. Read more →

The contractors listening to AI assistant audio

To answer the questions you ask Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, tech companies have employed armies contractors to listen to recordings and take notes. Read more →

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