The speakers are always-listening in exactly the same way that most smartphones are always-listening: They are always passively listening for the wake-word. Wit

The speakers are always-listening in exactly the same way that most smartphones are always-listening: They are always passively listening for the wake-word. Without the wake-word (or at least something that sounds like it) they do not record or transmit audio data. All the major smart speaker brands clearly indicate when they have been activated with lights and/or sounds. For the truly paranoid there is generally a switch to disconnect the microphone.