Did Ring take AI surveillance too far?

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What’s up? Ring users are rushing to turn off a feature called “Search Party” after its Super Bowl ad sparked surveillance concerns.

How does it work? The tool, originally designed to help locate lost pets, uses AI to scan Ring camera footage for animals and shares that data across a network of Ring devices. While Amazon says it’s helped find 99 dogs so far, the system is turned on by default and pools footage in a way that critics say could easily be repurposed for tracking people and monitoring people’s houses. After mass panic spread, Ring released details about disabling the feature. Disabling it takes just a few steps in the Ring app’s Control Center.

Why should you care? This highlights the blurry line between helpful tech and unwanted surveillance. Even if Search Party’s goal is noble, many people are uncomfortable with their home cameras being part of a massive AI-powered network. As smart devices become more common, it’s important to understand what’s being shared, and how to opt out.

What’s new? ElevenLabs has launched Expressive Mode for its AI voice agents, bringing human-like emotion and timing to customer conversations. You can try it now.

Want the details? This new feature is powered by two major upgrades: a smarter speech model called Eleven v3 Conversational, and a real-time turn-taking system. Together, they let voice agents sound calm, firm, or empathetic depending on the situation—and respond at just the right moment. Expressive Mode works across 70+ languages, helping businesses deliver more natural, emotionally aware service at scale. It’s all built into ElevenAgents, the company’s platform for deploying AI voice agents in real-world support settings.

Why does this matter? Most AI still sounds flat or robotic, especially when emotions run high—like during a flight cancellation or payment issue. Expressive Mode makes AI agents feel more like people, able to calm frustration, clarify complex info, or match a customer’s tone. It’s a big step forward in making AI voices not just realistic, but actually helpful.