AI hardware makers are redefining what counts as 'recording'

Tech companies are pushing the idea that always-listening AI devices don't count as recording if they don't save audio or video. Apple is reportedly building a smart home camera that generates text descriptions instead of saving footage, and Google is weighing cameras for smart glasses that don't record. Critics note that transcripts and summaries are still preserved data.

• Apple is working on a smart home camera that saves no video, only AI-generated text descriptions
• Google is discussing smart glasses cameras that process visuals without saving footage
• Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 added Live Rewind and Siri Recap without saving audio
• Meta uses a white pulsing privacy light instead of the standard red recording indicator