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A recent Illinois federal court decision shows that when AI listens in on calls, legal questions follow. The putative class action case is Megan Lisota v. Heartland Dental, LLC, et al. It was brought against two entities: Heartland Dental, LLC and its partner, RingCentral, Inc. Heartland Dental provides administrative and overflow call center services to dental clinics. In providing its services, it contracts with RingCentral. RingCentral is a provider of cloud-based, AI-supported telephone services.
According to plaintiff’s complaint, RingCentral's AI software is designed to capture and transcribe real time call details from patient, payer, and provider calls. Heartland used these details, the plaintiffs alleged, to identify and triage callers. It also used them to identify missed opportunities to schedule dental appointments. The plaintiff, a patient, alleged these activities constituted eavesdropping in violation of the Federal Wiretap Act.
The court ruled the plaintiff had legal standing to sue. It found her alleged injury sufficiently resembled the common law tort of intrusion upon seclusion. But the court ultimately determined she did not state a claim because the alleged “eavesdropping” by the AI-powered tool was a core part of RingCentral’s AI services. And, thus, it fell within an “ordinary course of business” exception to the Wiretap Act. The court dismissed the action without prejudice on January 13, 2026.
The case is continuing. The plaintiff filed an amended complaint on February 3, and defendants’ motion to dismiss the amended complaint is due March 6. The amended complaint attempts to salvage the wiretapping claim. The plaintiff is now alleging that RingCentral's AI tools are a separate, optional product — not a core part of its phone services. The amended complaint also adds a new claim for intrusion upon seclusion and alleges that RingCentral uses patient calls to train its own AI models, not just to serve its customers.
Putting It Into Practice: This case is a reminder to companies who use AI-powered communication platforms. Assess if you are making disclosures about use of these tools. Plaintiffs’ attorneys are definitely watching—and listening.
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