Talk Like TalkLike · Talks Inc

Cloud scoring guide

Talk Like (iOS) · TalkLike · Talks Inc

Effective date: September 21, 2026 · Talk Like v1.3. Cloud scoring is optional and off by default in this App Store version.

What this is

Talk Like scores practice sessions on your iPhone by default. Cloud scoring is an optional Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) overlay: you can paste your own OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), or Google Gemini API key so that provider can rate confidence for a session. The result blends into Talk Like’s existing confidence score. On-device transcription, fillers, pacing, and the other score dimensions stay on the device.

Cloud scoring is not:

  • Talks Inc hosting or billing an AI account for you.
  • A ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini chat thread inside Talk Like.
  • Training a Talk Like model on your sessions, or replacing the app’s bundled on-device classifier for everyone.
  • A Talk Like cloud proxy. The request goes from this iPhone to the provider you choose. Talks Inc servers do not receive your key or transcript.

Default on-device vs opt-in

Scoring stays on your iPhone unless you save a key, accept the in-app privacy notice, and turn the Cloud scoring toggle on. You can skip Cloud scoring on a session and keep on-device scores. Offline, Face ID cancelled, a rejected key, or a short transcript also fall back to on-device scores—Talk Like does not fail the session.

In-app path

Cloud scoring is not part of first-run onboarding. In Talk Like v1.3: About → Cloud scoring (optional) → unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode → pick a provider → paste a secret API key → Test → Save → accept the privacy notice → enable Use my AI key for confidence scoring. When that toggle is on, Rewrite can also ask your provider once per session for all four styles.

ChatGPT Plus passwords, claude.ai cookies, Google account passwords, and login tokens are not valid. Use a secret API key from the provider’s developer console.

Create a key

OpenAI

  1. Open platform.openai.com and sign in.
  2. Add billing (required for API use).
  3. API keys → Create secret key. Copy the sk-… value (shown once).
  4. Optional: set a monthly usage limit in the OpenAI dashboard.
  5. In Talk Like, choose OpenAI, paste, authenticate, Test, Save, then enable the scoring toggle.

OpenAI privacy policy: openai.com/policies/privacy-policy.

Anthropic (Claude)

  1. Open console.anthropic.com.
  2. Add billing. API keys → Create key. Copy the sk-ant-… value.
  3. In Talk Like, choose Claude, paste, Test, Save, then enable the toggle.

Anthropic privacy policy: anthropic.com/privacy.

Google Gemini

  1. Open aistudio.google.com.
  2. Get an API key (AIza…). Enable the Generative Language API if the console asks.
  3. In Talk Like, choose Gemini, paste, Test, Save, then enable the toggle.

Google privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy.

Test connection sends a tiny JSON ping to confirm the key works. It does not send a practice transcript.

What is sent vs not sent

Sent to your chosen provider (only when Cloud scoring is on, consent is current, and the session is eligible):

  • That session’s transcript text.
  • Numeric metrics already computed on device (for example word count, words per minute, filler rate, and related scores).

If you open Rewrite while Cloud scoring is on, Talk Like can send the same transcript once to generate all four styles (Executive, Concise, Confident, Diplomatic). Those drafts are saved on the session; switching styles does not call the API again.

Never sent:

  • The audio recording.
  • Other sessions, your Apple ID, or Talk Like history as a bulk export.
  • Your API key to Talks Inc. Talk Like does not operate a server that receives the key or the transcript.

After a successful overlay, Score breakdown names the provider—not the key—for example: “Confidence blended with your OpenAI model. Transcript text was sent to OpenAI.”

How the key is protected

  • Stored in the iOS Keychain on this iPhone only (ThisDeviceOnly).
  • Not written to UserDefaults, SwiftData, logs, or iPhone backups.
  • Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode is required to use a stored key. You can require authentication again before each transcript is sent (on by default).
  • Widgets, Siri, and App Intents do not trigger cloud scoring.

If this iPhone is lost

  1. Use Find My to lock or erase the device.
  2. Revoke or rotate the API key in the OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google AI Studio dashboard. Talk Like cannot remote-delete a key.
  3. After erase, the Keychain item on that iPhone is gone.
  4. Create a new key if you still want Cloud scoring on a replacement device.

Remove the key in About before you sell or give away the iPhone.

Billing and usage limits

Talk Like does not create or bill this key. You pay your provider. A short session is typically a fraction of a cent on a mini or flash model. Set a usage cap in the provider’s dashboard. Talk Like never sees your provider password or subscription login.

Fallback behavior

If Cloud scoring is off, you are offline, Face ID or passcode is cancelled, the key is missing or rejected, the request times out, the transcript is under twenty words, you skip the overlay, or you started practice from an App Intent, Talk Like keeps the on-device scores. Face ID cancelled is a caption on the result, not a failed session.

Privacy and terms

Third-party processing is governed by the provider’s privacy policy (linked above). See also Talk Like’s Privacy policy and Terms of use.