Definition
Informed consent in the context of AI session assistants is the process by which the client receives understandable information about which system is being used, what data is processed, how it is stored, who has access, and what rights the client has over that data — and voluntarily and documentably declares they agree to continue under those conditions. It is not a rushed click on a screen: it is an act with ethical weight and, in many legal frameworks, legal standing.
How it's used
Informed consent in AI-assisted sessions has two moments: prior consent (before the first session, on the platform or in the therapeutic contract) and a notice in each session (to ensure the client remembers and confirms).
The session notice is typically implemented as an announcement by the bot when joining the video call: the system indicates that the session is being assisted by a technological tool and that continuing implies consent. This announcement must be in the session's language.
Valid informed consent must include: the system's identity (who operates it), the purpose of processing (transcription, alerts, reports), the data processed (audio, text), the legal basis for processing, the retention duration, the client's rights (access, rectification, deletion), and how to exercise them.
When to apply
Any professional who uses a platform that processes session data is obligated to obtain informed consent from their clients. This applies even when the platform includes its own notice mechanism — the final responsibility is with the professional, who must ensure the client understands what they are consenting to.
Historical origin
Informed consent in medicine and psychology has roots in the Nuremberg Code (1947) and the Declaration of Helsinki. In the technology realm, more recent data protection frameworks (European GDPR, California CCPA) have extended the principle to any processing of personal data, including session recordings.
How CauceOS supports it
CauceOS automatically announces its presence when joining a video conference session with a message in the session's language: the English version says "This session is being assisted by CauceOS. Continuing implies consent." The professional can customize the announcement text within the limits that guarantee clarity of consent.
Related terms
- Professional confidentiality — the ethical framework that informed consent protects
- Data retention — one of the elements informed consent must communicate
- Live co-pilot — the system the client is consenting to when accepting the notice
References
- Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Fisher, C. B. (2017). Decoding the Ethics Code (4th ed.). Sage.
- American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Section 4.02, Confidentiality and its limits).