25.6.2024

Data protection-compliant use of AI: How to secure your company

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in accordance with data protection regulations is of great importance for companies. The use of AI technologies has the potential to increase the efficiency and productivity of companies by minimizing human errors and automating processes. At the same time, however, companies must ensure that the data protection and privacy of their customers and employees is maintained.

This article outlines a few points on how companies can use AI technologies in compliance with data protection regulations and what measures they must take to protect the privacy of their customers and employees.

 

What is the privacy-compliant use of AI?

The privacy-compliant use of AI refers to the use of AI technologies in a way that preserves individual data protection and privacy. Companies must ensure that they comply with data protection laws such as the European General Data Protection Regulation and other regulations and inform data subjects about the use of their data.

To ensure a privacy-compliant use of AI, companies must ensure that the data used is only used for the specific purposes for which it was collected and that the data is adequately protected and stored securely. This also means that the processing of personal data using AI algorithms must be transparent and comprehensible. Companies should also ensure that they obtain consent from data subjects before using personal data for AI purposes. In addition, companies must ensure that they respect the data protection rights of data subjects and give them the opportunity to review, correct or delete their data when necessary. The privacy-compliant use of AI is therefore an essential element in the development and implementation of AI technologies in companies.

 

Why is data protection so important in AI?

AI technologies are based on data. When companies use AI to collect or analyze information about their customers or employees, they must ensure that that data is adequately protected. This means they must ensure that the data is not stolen, manipulated or otherwise misused.

By complying with data protection laws and regulations, companies can earn the trust of their customers and employees and protect their reputation. You can also avoid fines and other legal consequences that may result from breaches of data protection laws.

In addition, there are also ethical reasons for using AI in a privacy-friendly manner. AI systems have the potential to deeply impact people's lives, and it's important to ensure that this impact is positive and not harmful. A breach of data protection can also lead to people being discriminated against or to prejudices being built into systems, which are then reinforced. By using data protection practices, companies can ensure that their AI systems are used ethically and responsibly.

 

How can companies use AI in compliance with data protection regulations?

In order to make the use of AI technologies compliant with data protection regulations, companies must take a number of measures. Here are five key steps that companies should consider:

1. Data minimization

To ensure a privacy-compliant use of AI, companies should ensure that they only collect and process as much data as necessary. It is important to carefully select data sources and to check whether all data collected is necessary to achieve the desired goal. Data analysis should always be tailored to the goal and should not unnecessarily collect a large amount of data.

 

2. Transparency and information

To ensure a privacy-compliant use of AI, companies should ensure transparency and inform their customers and employees about what data they collect, how they use it and who has access to the data. Obtaining the consent of those affected plays a decisive role in this.

Companies should ensure that they obtain consent from data subjects before collecting or using their data. This can be done, for example, through opt-in procedures or by providing data protection declarations. Opt-in procedures are procedures in which a person expressly and actively gives their consent to the processing of their personal data.

This means that the person must actively and consciously consent before their data can be used by a company or organization. The opt-in process is an important regulation for protecting individual privacy and is required by data protection laws in many countries. In contrast, the opt-out process is another rule that requires an individual to actively withdraw their consent to process their personal data.

With nele.ai, it is ensured that all services in accordance with the order data processing agreement ensure that the entered data is not stored permanently and that personal data is, where possible, additionally filtered and thus not sent to AI models in the first place.

 

3. Data security

Companies should ensure that they take appropriate security measures to protect the data they collect and use. For this purpose, they can use encryption technologies or authentication methods, for example.

In addition, companies should ensure that they conduct regular security reviews to ensure that their security measures are effective and that their data is protected from threats. Training employees on data security can also help to minimize risks. It is important that companies continuously address new threats and security measures and update their security measures accordingly.

 

4. Anonymization of data

Another important tool for ensuring data protection compliance when using AI is the anonymization of personal data. This involves changing personal data in such a way that it can no longer be traced back to a specific person. In this way, companies can ensure the protection of personal data while still taking advantage of the benefits of AI. Anonymization can also help minimize the risk of data breaches through the use of AI.

For example, nele.ai filters out names, first names, e-mail addresses, IP addresses and some other personal data before transmission.

 

5. Staff training

To ensure that AI is used in accordance with data protection regulations, companies must regularly train and sensitize their employees. This can be done through training, and internal guidelines. It is important that all employees understand which data is processed, how this data is protected and which rules must be observed when using AI. This is the only way to avoid data breaches and gain the trust of customers and employees. Companies should also ensure that all new employees complete data protection training before they are given access to personal data.

 

conclusion

Using AI in accordance with data protection regulations is a challenge for companies that want to use AI. It requires careful planning to ensure that personal data is protected and data protection regulations are met. Companies should address the issue at an early stage and take the necessary measures to ensure that AI is used in accordance with data protection regulations. In this way, they can take advantage of AI without neglecting the rights and protection of data subjects.

Nele.ai is an innovative solution for the privacy-compliant use of artificial intelligence, which was developed specifically for use in companies. Try nele.ai and see for yourself the benefits that our AI tool can bring to your company. We're sure you'll love the performance and reliability of nele.ai.

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