A new application named Neon has quickly risen to the number two spot in the social networking category on the Apple App Store, offering a proposition that feels both intriguing and, for some, a little unsettling. The app pays people to record their phone conversations, which are then anonymized and sold as training data to artificial intelligence companies. It is a straightforward exchange on the surface: users share their real-world conversations, and in return, they receive money. For AI developers, this kind of data is valuable, especially for training systems like chatbots and voice assistants.
Key Takeaways
- Neon is a social app that records users’ phone calls with their consent.
- The app financially compensates users for the call data they provide.
- This data, once anonymized, is sold to AI companies to train their models.
- Neon has climbed to the number two position on the Apple App Store’s social chart in the US.
- The app requires consent from all parties on a call before recording begins.
Neon works as a replacement for the standard phone dialer app on an iPhone. When someone makes or receives a call through Neon, the app first asks for permission to record. Recording only proceeds if both the user and the person on the other end of the line agree. This safeguard is meant to comply with call recording laws in many places, where two-party consent is not just recommended but legally necessary.
Once a call is captured, the audio does not stay in raw form for long. It is transcribed and anonymized, with names, addresses, and other personal details removed. What remains is conversational data, ordinary speech with all its pauses, hesitations, slang, and natural rhythms. That is precisely what makes it so valuable to AI companies. Scripted or staged dialogues often miss the messy, imperfect patterns of real human interaction, while actual conversations capture them in detail.
Neon’s rapid rise highlights a growing shift where more people are finding ways to directly monetize their personal data. For some users, even modest payments make the trade-off worth it. Still, not everyone is convinced. Privacy advocates have raised concerns, noting that even when data is anonymized, there is always a possibility of re-identification, especially when datasets are combined. That is a risk people may not fully grasp when they press “accept” at the start of a call.
The larger question lingers in the background. What does it mean, in the long run, to hand over countless hours of private conversations to corporations building AI systems? The company behind Neon, BeReal Labs, frames it as a transparent way for everyday people to participate in the future of AI while getting something back. Whether it is empowering or simply another form of data extraction is still up for debate, and perhaps that debate is only just beginning.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the Neon app?
Neon is a mobile application for iPhones that allows users to record their phone calls. In exchange for recording their conversations, the app pays users. The collected audio data is then sold to companies to train artificial intelligence.
Q. How much money can you make with Neon?
A. The payment structure can vary. Reports suggest users can earn gift cards and other rewards based on the amount of call data they contribute. The specific value depends on the length and content of the conversations recorded.
Q. Is it legal to record phone calls using Neon?
A. The legality of recording phone calls depends on local laws. Neon attempts to comply with regulations by requiring consent from all individuals on the call before a recording starts. Users should be aware of the specific laws in their own region.
Q. What happens to my phone call data?
A. After a call is recorded, Neon transcribes the audio, removes personal details to anonymize it, and then sells the text and audio data to AI companies. This data helps AI models learn to understand and generate human-like conversation.
Q. Is the Neon app safe?
A. Neon claims to protect user privacy by anonymizing data and securing consent. However, as with any service that collects personal data, there are inherent privacy considerations. Users must weigh the financial benefit against the personal information they are sharing.
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