Informational, not legal advice. Recording and consent laws vary by country and by U.S. state, and they change. This guide gives you practical defaults and ready-made language, but it is not legal advice. When in doubt, get explicit consent and consult a lawyer for your situation.
Why disclose
Maneku is present in your room as a participant. It listens to the conversation and, when you summon it, speaks and produces a transcript. Two reasons to be upfront about that:
- Trust. Guests should know when they're talking to — and being transcribed by — an AI. Surprises erode trust and make for awkward clips later.
- Law. Many places require that people be informed when a conversation is recorded, and some require everyone's consent. Disclosing the AI co-host and the fact that you're recording helps you meet those obligations.
One-party vs. all-party consent
In the U.S., recording laws fall into two broad buckets:
- One-party consent — only one person in the conversation (which can be you) needs to consent. This is the federal default and the rule in most states.
- All-party (two-party) consent — everyone in the conversation must consent. States in this group commonly include California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington, among others.
The safe rule: if any participant is in an all-party state — or you're not sure — get clear, verbal "yes" consent from everyone on the recording, before the real conversation starts. It costs you ten seconds and removes the ambiguity. International guests (e.g. under the EU's GDPR) add their own requirements, so default to explicit consent for remote shows.
Ready-to-use scripts
Copy, adapt, and say these out loud at the top of the session. Swap [CO-HOST NAME] for your persona's name.
Short verbal disclosure
"Quick heads-up before we dive in — we're recording, and we've got an AI co-host in the room named [CO-HOST NAME]. It listens along and chimes in when I bring it in. Everyone good to go?"
— Host, before the conversation startsFuller disclosure (for first-time or external guests)
"Before we start: this session is being recorded, and we use an AI co-host called [CO-HOST NAME]. It listens to our conversation so it can answer questions and add context when I call on it, and it helps generate a transcript afterward. The audio it hears is processed to create that transcript and isn't stored as a recording on our end. Are you all comfortable continuing on that basis?"
— Host, before the conversation startsWritten disclosure (calendar invite, booking form, or show notes)
"This conversation will be recorded. We also use an AI co-host ([CO-HOST NAME]) that listens during the session to contribute and to help produce a transcript. By joining, you consent to being recorded and to the use of the AI co-host. Questions? Reach us at [YOUR SHOW'S CONTACT EMAIL]."
— Include in the invite and confirm verbally on the dayBest practice: do both — written disclosure ahead of time and a quick verbal confirmation on the recording. The verbal "yes" captured in the recording is your strongest evidence of consent.
What guests should understand
If a guest asks for specifics, here's the plain-language picture you can share:
| Question | Straight answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a bot listening? | Yes — an AI co-host is in the room and hears the conversation so it can respond when the host brings it in. |
| What happens to the audio? | If live transcription is on, short audio segments are sent to a transcription provider to turn speech into text. Maneku doesn't keep the audio itself. |
| Where does the text go? | The transcript stays on the host's device by default. It's only backed up to the cloud if the host has turned that on. |
| Who runs the AI? | The host's chosen providers (e.g. Anthropic for responses). See the Privacy Policy for the full list. |
| Can I say no? | Yes. If a guest doesn't consent, don't record them with the AI co-host present. |
Where to put the disclosure
- Calendar invite / booking confirmation — set expectations before anyone joins.
- Top of the recording — a verbal heads-up and a captured "yes" from each participant.
- Show notes / episode description — note that an AI co-host was used, for your audience.
Reminder: this guide is informational and not legal advice. Replace every [PLACEHOLDER], and confirm the consent rules for your jurisdiction (and your guests') with a qualified lawyer before relying on it.