This conversation is being recorded ? and so is everything else you do in San Francisco

AI wearables are quietly recording everything. Is it legal? And do 
you consent?

Warning, San Francisco: That cute necklace your coworker is wearing 
might be recording you.

A crop of startups is selling stealthy AI-powered recording devices 
and software that’s becoming increasingly popular across Silicon 
Valley. Regardless of whether you’re in a contentious work meeting, 
having coffee on a first date, or enjoying the wild abandon of a 
house party, there’s a growing likelihood that someone is listening.

“My general sense is that we should assume we are being recorded at 
all times,” said Clara Brenner, a partner at venture capital firm 
Urban Innovation Fund. “Of course, this is a horrible way to live 
your life.”

Some of these devices are wearables masquerading as fashionable 
pendants, like those made by Limitless, or discreet lapel pins, 
like those by Plaud. Bee has a device that resembles a Fitbit. 
Others are apps that run quietly in the background of phones and 
laptops, like Cluely, Granola, and OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Record 
feature.

It can be hard to know when one is being used. Some devices flash 
or light up when they’re recording; others glow when they’re 
switched off. Most automatically generate AI transcripts and audio 
recordings of everything with which their owner interacts.

Why would anyone voluntarily wear these roving surveillance 
devices? It’s not necessarily to catch people saying things they’ll 
regret. Enthusiasts report that the recorders help them stay 
“present” in meetings, outsource busywork, and act as a perpetually 
available collaborator.

But many who work in offices where the devices are becoming the 
norm report that they have begun to self-censor, worried about 
every offhand comment being etched into an AI-generated transcript. 
Meanwhile, lawyers warn that it’s only a matter of time before 
these nonconsensual records and audio files become liabilities in 
court.

The always-listening crowd

For many in the tech industry, AI recording tools have become a way 
of life.

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<https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/05/ai-wearables-recording-devices/>