Zoom Asks Employees to Return to Office for Hybrid Work, Defends User Data Access for Generative AI

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 07 August 2023, 09:08 pm

One of the most famous companies during the pandemic that made remote work effective, Zoom Communications, is now asking its employees to return to the office. However, this is not a full-on campaign that asks its workers to go to their site every day, as it would enforce a hybrid work setup for its employees once the shift starts.

Still, Zoom is also facing massive controversy regarding its latest privacy update, particularly about its user data access regarding its generative AI developments.

Zoom Asks Employees to Return to Office for Hybrid Work

(Photo : Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

According to Zoom's statement shared with CNN, the company is now asking its employees to return to the office on a "structured hybrid approach," where it would ask nearby workers to report to the office at least twice a week.

"As a company, we are in a better position to use our technologies, continue to innovate, and support our global customers. We'll continue to leverage the entire Zoom platform to keep our employees and dispersed teams connected and working efficiently," said Zoom.

This comes after different companies have already enforced a new policy post-COVID regarding a return to the office which also asks for a hybrid approach for some. This includes the likes of Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and more.

Zoom Defends User Data Access for Generative AI

Amidst this return-to-office deal, Zoom is getting a significant uproar from the public regarding its user access from its updated Terms of Service.

It reads,

"You agree that Zoom compiles and may compile Service Generated Data based on Customer Content and use of the Services and Software. You consent to Zoom's access, use, collection, creation, modification, distribution, processing, sharing, maintenance, and storage of Service Generated Data for any purpose, to the extent and in the manner permitted under applicable Law, including for product and service development, marketing, analytics, quality assurance, machine learning or artificial intelligence (including for training and tuning of algorithms and models), training, testing, improvement of the Services, Software, or Zoom's other products, services, and software, or any combination thereof, and as otherwise provided in this Agreement."

via Zoom's release.

Still, the company defended itself regarding its data access from users, despite massive claims from the public regarding Zoom taking video and audio data for building its generative AI. The company claims that it does not share data, and is not used for training third-party AI or other technologies.

Zoom's Operations and App Development

Zoom is one of the most recognizable companies regarding video conferencing, being one of the most used services during the COVID-19 pandemic and companies that adopted a remote work setup after.

It grew to astronomical heights and the company experienced this massive high as people were not allowed outside their homes if they are not essential workers.

However, this died down significantly amidst 2022, when the world was seeing its return to normal and restrictions were dropped.

Now, the company is asking its employees back to the office in a hybrid approach but faces massive controversy regarding its data access for AI.