AI voice agents are helping businesses. But privacy comes first
In a short time, AI voice agents have become the digital front desk for many businesses. Think of banks automating customer inquiries. Health providers offering voice-based appointment scheduling. No doubt, AI voice tools are helping businesses ease communication and save on the cost of labor.
But given that these AI-powered voice agents process sensitive personal data, such as recorded user voices, names, phone numbers, locations, and even purchase history, they should be accountable for the data subjects entrust to them.
This calls for data protection laws, which shield data subject’s fundamental rights. In Brazil, this body of regulatory obligations is called LGPD.
In this guide, we’ll go over:
What the LGPD really is
Who should comply to LGPD
How AI voice agents can meet LGPD compliance
What happens if they don’t
First, what is LGPD?
LGPD stands for Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados, Brazil’s data protection law modeled closely after Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR. It governs how organizations collect, use, store, and share personal data.
If you use an AI voice agent that processes customer information (such as names, contact info, preferences, or voice recordings), you’re by default required to be LGPD compliant.
In July 2024, the ANPD ordered Meta to stop the use of Brazilians’ personal data for training its AI models. The national data protection authority cited risks to fundamental rights and the lack of clear user consent. Although Meta wasn’t fined, this case shows the ANPD’s proactive stance on data protection and LGPD compliance.
Whether for small legal entities or large corporations, issues as transparency aren’t just necessary in data processing, they are strict enforceable laws against data breaches.
Who needs to comply with the Brazilian data protection law?
If your business operates in Brazil or processes personal data of people located in Brazil then the general data protection law applies to you. This includes:
Local startups using AI to handle support tickets
Healthcare providers with smart appointment AI voice agents
E-commerce brands with voice-enabled checkout bots
Banks using biometric data, like voice ID systems
No matter your business size, if you process people’s data, you’re responsible for protecting it and would be held liable when personal databases are compromised.
What makes an LGPD-compliant AI voice agent ?
Today every voice assistant out there is smart, or so they claim. So, for your business, in addition to their smartness, the best AI agents must respect data subjects rights and build systems that guard it.
Now, let’s go over some basic elements that make an AI voice agent pass the LGPD compliance test:
Clear, informed consent
Before collecting any personal data, data subjects must be told what specific data is collected, why it’s collected, and how it will be used.
For instance, if your voice bot asks for a Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas number (CPF) to verify a user identity, the bot must first read out a statement explaining the reason for the data collection, to which data subjects agrees .
Opening a good communication channel will help ensure both the data subjects and the processing agents are in sync as to the purpose of the data collection and safety of such data, during and after the processing period.
Also important, data subjects should be able to withdraw their consent with ease at any time they so desire.
Strong personal data protection measures
You need to safeguard all sensitive data against data breaches. Some common risk mitigation efforts include using data encryption, investing in secured storage, prioritizing access controls, and introducing role-based user permissions among your team.
In July 2023, the Brazilian National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) issued its first fine under the LGPD for violations including the lack of a legal basis for data processing and failure to appoint a Data Protection Officer.
Now you can see how even smaller entities are not spared from the Brazilian data protection law, and that a single oversight while processing personal data can be costly.
User rights to access, edit, and delete
Under LGPD, data subjects can request access to their data collected, ask for it to be corrected, delete it entirely, or transfer it to another provider.
Your AI agent should be able to assist users in making these requests, or redirect them easily.
Restrictions on cross-border data transfers
If your AI vendor stores data on servers outside Brazil, the general data protection law requires guarantees of similar data protection, specific contractual clauses, or similar security practices that protect personal data of data subjects.
Some top brands like Voice.ai offers Brazilian server options and other technical and administrative measure that complies to LGPD standards.
What happens if you don’t comply to general data protection law?
Of course, there are stiff penalties for non-compliance.
First, defaulting organization will pay up to 2% of annual revenue of the past year, or R$50 million for each violation, whichever is higher.
Also, the ANPD may temporarily suspend or permanently ban data processing activities of Brazilian processing agents that trample on data subjects rights.
The regulatory body may further disclose the company’s violations publicly which will harm your brand trust.
So beyond fines and court cases, non compliance to the local data protect laws can hurt your reputation, which is one of your most valued assets.
How to ensure LGPD compliance for your AI Voice agent
Here’s your checklist of security measures that’ll keep you compliant while handling customer data:
Understand the law
You (and your team) should know the basics of LGPD. You can read more about ANPD and LGPD compliance on their official website.
Choose the right vendor
Use AI voice solutions built with compliance in mind. Voice.ai, for instance, integrates consent prompts, secure storage, and quick access to user data, all while staying smart to get the job done.
Run regular data audits
Do thorough audit on what data your agent collects, why it’s collected, where it’s stored, and who has access. Also, review contracts with third-party services, set data retention policies, and flag potential risks.
Make consent a built-in feature
Design systems to log consent every time data is processed. Consider creating a dashboard to manage, track, and update user permissions in real time.
Train your teams
Train every employee who interacts with data, especially customer service agents and IT staff.
Teach them about data access rights, breach protocols, and how to handle user data requests.
The goal is to make data privacy and protection a culture in your organization, not just some checklist.
Why Voice.ai is built for compliance
Voice.ai isn’t your regular voice assistant platform, it’s uniquely designed with security, clarity, and compliance at its core. From smart consent flows to regional data storage, businesses across Brazil trust it to handle their high-privacy conversations.
Data privacy is no longer optional
Customers in Brazil care about how their data is used. And so do regulators.
If your AI voice agent isn’t compliant, it’s not just a legal risk, it’s a signal to your customers that their trust may be misplaced. But with the right partner, compliance doesn’t have to be complex. Agents like Voice.ai is one of the few trusted names that offer super smarter services while staying fully LGPD compliant.
Frequently Asked Question on LGPD and AI Voice Agents
Can I use AI voice agents without recording calls?
Yes. But if you’re collecting data (such as names and phone numbers), you still need user consent.
What if my AI platform is based outside Brazil?
As long as it processes Brazilian user data, LGPD applies. Choose a provider who respects this.
Is anonymous data also subject to LGPD?
No. But if there’s any chance the data could be traced back to a user (even if indirectly), it must be treated as personal data.
How often should I audit my data practices?
Best practice, at least once every 6 months, or after any major system update.
