The age of AI being integrated into therapists' workflows has only just begun, and not all startups will survive. So what happens when a startup that records and transcribes therapy sessions gets acquired, pivots, or shuts down?
Therapists and clients are being asked to trust that this incredibly sensitive data is handled responsibly -- not just now, but forever. But companies change. Priorities shift. A VC-backed startup might sunset, get sold, or quietly morph into something else entirely.
And unlike your notes, your client's voice (and/or transcript) might still be on a server somewhere.
If you’re a therapist using a tool that records sessions, it’s worth asking:
- What happens to that data if the company disappears?
- Can you delete it?
- Can your client?
- What does the fine print actually say?
With Quill, we decided from day one not to record anything. We know it's not necessary to have that recording to still save time on notes. Therapists simply summarize the session in their own words, after it ends. No session recordings. No audio files. No transcripts. No ticking time bombs on a server somewhere.
We're not saying this because we're paranoid. We're saying this because we build software for a living. (Or at least Jon does!) And startups come and go and pivot all the time. And when priorities shift, that promised "privacy" -- and how you thought this data will be handled forever -- might be overlooked.
