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Legal & Trust

Do You Have to Disclose an AI Is Answering Your Phones?

Rules vary, but the safest customer experience starts with a clear disclosure and a defined human handoff.

Published 2026-08-23 · Last updated 2026-08-23

Disclosure requirements depend on where the business and caller are located, what the system records, and whether the call is inbound or outbound. This page is general information, not legal advice. A local attorney should review the final script and recording policy.

Start with the clearest customer-safe rule

Have the AI identify itself at the beginning of every call. That avoids the trust problem created when a caller discovers the truth later, and it creates one consistent operating rule across locations.

A black desk phone with a small amber light on a dark desk striped by window-blind light — The approved script and the recording notice belong on the same reviewed page.

Separate disclosure from recording consent

Saying that an AI is answering and notifying someone that a call is recorded are different issues. Recording and transcription rules can depend on the states involved. The script, audio notice, consent record, storage period, and access policy should be reviewed together.