Is a verbal explanation enough, or do I need written consent for AI note-taking?

Best practice is both: a verbal explanation at the time of recording, plus a signed written consent form as part of your standard intake paperwork, so there's a documented record of informed consent.

What details must an AI note-taking consent form include?

It should specify what is recorded, where the data goes (a company's server or only the therapist's own device), how long it's retained, who can access it, and that the client may decline without affecting their care.

A Sample Consent Script for AI Note-Taking in Therapy

A ready-to-adapt script for introducing AI-assisted note-taking to clients — plus a short written consent form template you can add to your intake paperwork.

Below is a spoken script for introducing AI note-taking, followed by a short written consent form template. Adapt both to reflect exactly how your specific tool handles data — accuracy matters more than polish here.

Spoken script (adapt the bracketed section)

"Before we start, I want to explain something about how I take notes. I use an AI tool that records our session, creates a written transcript, and helps me draft my clinical notes afterward — it saves me time so I can stay focused on our conversation instead of writing during it.

[If on-device: "Here's the important part: this runs entirely on my own computer. The recording never gets sent anywhere or stored by any company — it stays on my device, and I delete it once the note is written."]

[If cloud-based: "The recording is processed by [Company name]'s service. Here's what happens to it: [storage duration], [who can access it], [their data policy in plain terms]."]

This is completely your choice — if you'd rather I not record, I'll take notes the traditional way instead, and that won't change anything about how we work together. Do you have any questions, and are you comfortable with this?"

Written consent form template

```

CONSENT FOR AI-ASSISTED SESSION NOTES

I understand that [Therapist name] uses an AI tool to:

☐ Record the audio of our sessions

☐ Generate a written transcript of the session

☐ Assist in drafting clinical notes based on the transcript

I understand that:

[Insert accurate description: e.g., "This processing happens entirely on the

therapist's own device; recordings are not sent to or stored by any

third-party company."]

[Insert retention policy: e.g., "The audio recording is deleted immediately

after the note is generated."]

I may decline this at any time without affecting the quality of my care.
I may withdraw this consent for future sessions at any point.

☐ I consent to AI-assisted session recording and note-taking as described above.

☐ I do not consent — I understand my therapist will use traditional note-taking.

Client signature: _______________________ Date: ___________

```

Why the bracketed sections matter most

The parts in brackets — describing exactly what happens to the data — are the parts you must fill in accurately for your specific tool. A generic "we use AI to help with notes" consent form doesn't meet the bar of informed consent if it omits where the data actually goes.