Apple Watch’s always-listening AI features raise consent and privacy concerns

Apple introduced new Apple Watch AI features at its Wednesday event that can transcribe recent speech and summarize conversations, raising questions about consent and privacy despite assurances that raw audio is not saved. The features include Live Rewind, which transcribes the last 15 seconds of audio via a double press of the digital crown, and Siri Recap, which generates high-level notes from ambient listening. Apple says recordings are not stored, transcripts are encrypted, and users control when features are enabled. The move normalizes always-listening technology, potentially affecting how people behave in social interactions. Legal implications for text-only transcripts remain unclear, and Apple may face consumer backlash despite positioning the features as assistive and privacy-protective.