Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday life, powering everything from internet searches to personalized recommendations. But as AI continues to expand, so do questions about the data that makes it work
Georgia Tech law professor Charlotte Alexander has spent years watching artificial intelligence evolve alongside the growing amount of information collected online
“What are companies doing to be responsible stewards of the data they collect from us?” Alexander said
She said AI systems rely on data generated by everyday online activity, but that raises concerns about privacy and security
“I worry about security and privacy risks,” Alexander said
According to Alexander, people often share personal information with companies whenever they interact with websites
“Anything you type into a website, you’re giving over to that company … your name, your address, your credit card number,” she said
Those concerns are amplified by the ongoing threat of data breaches
“There are regular data breaches all the time,” Alexander said
As companies collect more information, questions remain about who has access to that data and how it may be used by artificial intelligence systems
Atlanta-based company OneTrust is working with businesses to help manage those risks. The company develops software that helps organizations understand where AI is being used, monitor data practices, and identify potential concerns
“It’s not what you see on the screen that’s concerning; it’s the stuff behind the scenes,” said Blake Brannon, OneTrust’s co-founder and chief innovation officer
The company works with many Fortune 500 companies across industries including healthcare, finance, retail and technology
“We give them a command center. It’s almost a dashboard where they can see all this information about what AI has been deployed and put policies in place to allow certain things and stop certain things,” he said
The software can also help identify higher-risk applications, including AI systems used in hiring decisions
“You can switch very quickly from AI innovation to AI discrimination where it’s unintentionally pulling people out of the candidacy pool for things that maybe are just not ethically right,” Brannon said
Alexander said policymakers are still trying to determine what guardrails should be placed around the technology
“The law tends to lag behind technological advances. We as a world are all wrestling with what sort of safeguards and guardrails do we want to put around AI so we can keep accessing the benefits but guard against the harms,” she said
As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into daily life, experts say the focus is increasingly shifting to the data behind the technology and how it is protected
Experts recommend consumers use strong passwords, limit the information they share online and review privacy and cookie settings before accepting them on websites
