Must an AI receptionist say it is AI? The AI Act explained

Short answer: yes. Since 2 August 2026, Article 50 of the European AI Regulation (the AI Act) requires that anyone talking to an AI system knows it. For an AI receptionist, that means saying at the start of every call that the caller is speaking to an AI. A sentence like "You are speaking to an AI assistant" is enough.

What does Article 50 of the AI Act require?

An AI system that communicates directly with people must be designed so those people know they are dealing with an AI system. The law places that obligation on the provider of the system. But if you use an AI receptionist, the caller hears your business name. So it's in your interest too that it's done properly.

Isn't it obvious that it's an AI?

The law makes an exception when it is obvious to a reasonably well-informed person that they are talking to a machine. With a modern AI receptionist that exception doesn't apply. Today's best voices have natural intonation and pauses in the right places, so a caller can't be sure. Always disclose it.

Which sentence is enough, and which isn't?

The notice must say the caller is speaking to AI, or artificial intelligence. Examples that are enough:

• "You are speaking to an AI assistant. This call is being recorded."
• "Good afternoon, you are speaking to the AI assistant of Kapsalon de Schaar. This call is being recorded."

What says too little: "You are speaking to our digital assistant." A digital assistant could also be a phone menu or a recorded message. The caller still doesn't know they are talking to an AI.

When should the notice be heard?

At the start, right after the greeting, and before the caller shares anything personal. A notice halfway through the call, or only in the terms on your website, doesn't meet the intent: the caller needs to know at the moment it matters.

Does this apply to a phone menu too?

A classic phone menu with recorded options ("press 1 for...") is usually not an AI system and then falls outside Article 50. A system that understands what the caller asks and holds a conversation itself is one. If in doubt, treat it as AI and disclose it.

What about the recording?

That is a second rule, from the GDPR. If the call is recorded, the caller must hear that before it happens. A recording is personal data, and the caller has a right to that information. So combine both notices in one short sentence, as above. You can read more about the GDPR in our article on privacy and AI telephony.

How does ClientAssist handle this?

By default, this sentence comes right after the greeting: "You are speaking to an AI assistant. This call is being recorded." You may rephrase it to fit how your business talks. But not without those two elements. We check that not only in the screen where you edit the sentence; the database itself refuses to save a notice that doesn't say the caller is speaking to AI or that the call is recorded. So no assistant can go live without it.

We used to say "digital assistant". After a legal review in September 2026 we deliberately changed it back to "AI assistant", for exactly the reason above.

What should you check with your provider?

• Is the AI notice spoken on every call, and can it be switched off by accident?
• Does the notice also mention the recording, if calls are recorded?
• Can a caller always ask for a person, and are they then transferred or called back?
• Is there a data processing agreement, and do you know where calls are stored?

Being honest about it rarely costs you a caller. What does drive callers away is the feeling of being fooled.