From: Division of Information Technology

The university recognizes that many in the university community are exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) meeting assistants that record, transcribe, summarize, and analyze conversations automatically.

However, many AI meeting assistants have demonstrably lax end-user agreements that specifically allow use of information they collect in intrusive or otherwise questionable ways that conflict with Virginia Tech’s cybersecurity and data protection policies. This concern was raised for consideration to Virginia Tech IT Governance, which recommended that the available and approved AI meeting assistants built into Zoom and Teams should be used, and that other third-party AI assistants should specifically be disallowed for users on Virginia Tech's networks. Please take note of the following guidance: 

Authorized AI meeting assistants and supported platforms

Two of the university’s supported meeting platforms – Zoom and Microsoft –offer authorized, built-in AI assistants that have been thoroughly reviewed for institutional use. These tools are designed to help you work more efficiently without sacrificing security.  

These platform-native tools:

  • Are seamlessly integrated into the university’s licensed environments 
  • Follow established contractual, security, and privacy controls
  • Provide features such as transcription, captions, summaries, and accessibility features to support all participants 

Virginia Tech recommends using the built-in capabilities offered by these trusted platforms. This ensures you benefit from advanced features while maintaining security and compliance. 

Unauthorized third-party tools do not provide data protection 

Third-party AI assistants have not been reviewed or authorized by the IT Security Office (ITSO) to ensure compliance with university requirements for data privacy, security, accessibility, and regulatory obligations.  

Many of these tools plainly state that collected data may be shared and processed in the United States or other countries where the company or its affiliates operate. In addition, they state that collected data may be given or sold to additional parties and used to train artificial intelligence or other models. These uses are not in alignment with university data protection and compliance requirements. The following tools are not authorized for university use: 

  • Zoom.ai (a different application than the one included with Zoom, “Zoom AI Companion,” which is authorized)
  • Otter.ai 
  • Read.ai
  • Fireflies.ai 
  • Meetrecord.com
  • Sembly.ai 
  • Hal.ai
  • Any other AI assistant that is not specifically reviewed and authorized by legal counsel, the IT Security Office, and the Procurement Office.  

Over the coming weeks, the university will be blocking these tools within university-managed systems and environments. In the meantime, students, faculty, and staff are strongly advised to:

  • Not add third-party AI assistants to university meetings, including classes or study groups 
  • Remove or deny access to these tools if they appear in meetings that you host
  • Delete any accounts you may have created with these vendors 
  • Uninstall unauthorized software from Virginia Tech systems

If you have questions about approved AI tools, data privacy, or meeting technology, please contact the IT Security Office at itso@vt.edu or your local IT support team. 

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