Overview of How Pozotron Uses AI

Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) is a nuanced and complicated subject, and Pozotron receives regular questions about our use of AI.

To best answer, the questions of our users and the wider audio publishing community we have published the following Frequently Asked Questions about Pozotron’s use of AI, how Pozotron utilizes data (text and audio recordings) uploaded by our users, and what our Terms of Service mean.

Pozotron has also published an Open Letter on AI in Audiobooks, intended to clearly outline much of the information found on this page.

What type of data does Pozotron receive from customers?

• In Pozotron’s Terms of Service, Data is defined as the Transcript and Recording, together with any copies thereof, derivative works, adaptations, modifications, enhancements, improvements, analyses and interpretations.

Does Pozotron sell or share my data with any 3rd parties?

• No, Pozotron does not share user-uploaded text or voice recordings with any 3rd parties, and we do not sell it to anyone. All of our data use and privacy policies are outlined in our Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.

How does Pozotron use Artificial Intelligence?

• Pozotron does use AI and does use the audio files and text uploaded by our users to continuously train our AI algorithm to better compare voices to text. Once a user uploads their data to Pozotron, it is periodically sliced into short snippets, amalgamated into a dataset and used to train our algorithm to better recognize speech and compare it to the submitted text. This means that over time, our proofing tool becomes more accurate and effective for our users. Our audio proofing and preparation tools are designed to use AI to help narrators, not replace them.

What can Pozotron use User Data for?

• In our Terms of Service, Pozotron is allowed to use Data for only the Permitted Uses, which is defined as: “Company’s business use, including use of Data for: (i) providing the Services hereunder, (ii) research, development, trouble-shooting/debugging and testing of the Services, and (iii) improvement of the functionality of the Services.”

Pozotron’s Terms of Service states: “We may revise and update the terms of service at our sole discretion”, what does this mean?

• The Terms of Service is a legal contract between Pozotron and our Users that governs what each party is able to do within Pozotron. Like all software companies, Pozotron can update our Terms of Service at any time at our sole discretion. However, all Pozotron users have the right to not accept those changes. If we make a material change to the Terms of Service, we need to notify all users of the change in writing. In that case, if users chose to not accept the amended Terms of Service, those users would then be able to stop using the Pozotron service and refrain from uploading any new data to Pozotron. Any data uploaded by those users prior to the change in the Terms of Service could not be used in a way previously denied by the Terms of Service. For example, If Pozotron was to develop a feature including the development of AI voices (or any other material change to how we utilize user data), we’d have to change our Terms of Service, notify all users, and have users accept the new Terms of Service allowing us to utilize user data in this way. If a user didn’t agree, then any data said user uploaded prior to the change in the Terms of Service could not be used to develop AI voices since the user didn’t give Pozotron explicit consent to do so by agreeing to the new (amended) Terms of Service.

What if I want to use Pozotron but I don’t want my data to be used to train the algorithm to better compare voices to text?

• If a Pozotron user would like Pozotron to not use that user’s uploaded data to train our AI to better compare voices to text, once that user is finished proofing the project in Pozotron, users have the ability to delete that data from our system. Once a project deletion request is made the data is irrevocably deleted from our database.

Is Pozotron planning to make AI voices?

• No! Pozotron is not training our AI algorithm to replicate the human voice or create AI likenesses of human voices. That is explicitly committed in our Terms of Service, which says: “Company (Pozotron) shall not use Customer’s Data for the purpose of creating an artificial likeness of a voice provided by Customer as part of the Services hereunder, without Customer’s prior written consent to do so.”

If Pozotron isn’t planning to make AI voices, why does it say “Company (Pozotron) shall not use Customer’s Data for the purpose of creating an artificial likeness of a voice provided by Customer as part of the Services hereunder, without Customer’s prior written consent to do so.”

• Pozotron may, in future, consider expanding our service should voice technology and the desires of our customers ever lead Pozotron to start utilizing user data to develop AI voices for our users. In this case, Pozotron would not be able to utilize user data in this manner unless users provided us explicit consent to do so. In addition, Pozotron would develop these features for use by and controlled by the voice owner, not by third parties. We are also in discussion with numerous groups about changes to the wording of our Terms of Service to help better protect narrators and their rights. If Pozotron was to develop a feature including the development of AI voices (or any other material change to how we utilize user data), we’d have to change our Terms of Service, notify all users, and have users accept the new Terms of Service allowing us to utilize user data in this way. If a user didn’t agree, then any data said user uploaded prior to the change in the Terms of Service could not be used to develop AI voices since the user didn’t give Pozotron explicit consent to do so.

If the Pozotron user is not the narrator specifically, but rather a producer or publisher, how does the narrator have any protection from that company using their voice without their permission for those purposes through your system?

• Pozotron is in discussion with numerous groups about changes to the wording of our Terms of Service to help better protect narrators and their rights. However, Pozotron will not use data in any way that is not expressly outlined in our Terms of Service, and all use of data will be with the express consent of the user. In the case of the potential future creation of AI likenesses of voices, Pozotron will not develop anything without the express consent of the Pozotron user and the voice owner (the speaking narrator).

Who owns Pozotron? Is Pozotron influenced by large companies or venture capitalists who may force Pozotron to change their Terms of Service or Privacy Policies?

• Pozotron is owned by a small group of individual shareholders, including current and former employees, and local individual investors. The business is fully bootstrapped, and we have not accepted funding from venture capitalist firms or corporations, which means we have 100% control over our strategy, company direction, and our technology.

What happens if Pozotron is sold? What will happen to the data?

• While we have no current or near-term plan for an acquisition or change in the ownership control of Pozotron, if Pozotron is sold at a future date and the acquiring company chose to use data uploaded to Pozotron for something other than the Permitted Uses, under law any data uploaded to Pozotron under the current Terms of Service would remain protected by the current Terms of Service. This means that data uploaded prior to the acquiring company changing the Terms of Service could not be used to create artificial likenesses of a human voice unless the Pozotron user consents to that use by agreeing to an amended Terms of Service that explicitly outlines what the data will be used for. For example, should the hypothetical acquiring company desire to pivot to creating artificial likenesses of voices, the acquiring company would have to amend the Terms of Service to explicitly allow them to use the data to that end. Since that would be a material change to the Terms of Service, the acquiring company would have to notify all Pozotron users of that change. If users chose to not agree with that amended Terms of Service, they would then stop using the Pozotron service (and refrain from uploading any new data to Pozotron) and that user’s data uploaded prior to the change in the Terms of Service could not be used to create an artificial likeness of human voices.