BILL NUMBER: S8459
SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil rights law, in relation to prohibiting tran-
scripts being made from video conference meetings by artificial intelli-
gence without conspicuous disclosure during such meeting
 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
To protect individuals' privacy by requiring conspicuous disclosure
before artificial intelligence (AI) is used to transcribe video confer-
ence meetings.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section i of the bill amends the civil rights law by adding a new
section 50h, which prohibits the transcription of video conference meet-
ings by artificial intelligence unless a clear and conspicuous disclo-
sure is made during the meeting. The disclosure must inform all partic-
ipants that their spoken words may be transcribed by AI technology.
Section 2 establishes that the act shall take effect 30 days after
becoming law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
As artificial intelligence technology becomes more prevalent, partic-
ularly in virtual communication platforms, there is an increasing risk
of individuals being recorded or transcribed without their knowledge or
consent. Many video conference platforms now incorporate AI-powered
tools that can automatically transcribe speech into text. While this can
be a useful feature for accessibility and record-keeping, it raises
significant privacy concerns when participants are unaware that their
conversations are being transcribed and potentially stored, shared, or
analyzed.
This legislation is a proactive measure to ensure that individuals
retain their right to informed consent when participating in virtual
meetings. It does not ban AI transcription outright but simply requires
that any such use be disclosed clearly to all participants. This
protects personal privacy and aligns with growing public concern over
the use and potential misuse of AI technology in private and profes-
sional settings.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.