Artificial intelligence Archives | Page 24 of 675

NSW privacy survey highlights concern over AI and data breaches

Australia’s NSW Privacy Commissioner has published the latest biennial survey on community attitudes towards privacy, highlighting strong public concern over data breaches and the use of AI and automated decision-making by government agencies.

The Information and Privacy Commission’s 2026 Community Attitudes Survey provides an indicative picture of public views in New South Wales on privacy rights, data breaches, access to personal information, and government use of emerging technologies. For the first time, the survey also includes findings on AI and automated decision-making.

The survey found that 70% of respondents were concerned about the NSW government’s use of AI and automated decision-making technologies in public decisions. It also found that 99% of respondents considered the NSW Government’s protection of personal information important, the highest result recorded in the survey. Just under 75% were aware that they could access and amend their personal information, apply for a review, or make a complaint with a NSW Government agency.

Concern about data breaches was also high, with 84% to 91% of respondents worried about deliberate hacking, inappropriate sharing, accidental release, and unauthorised access to personal information. Among respondents affected by a breach, 53% had contact information compromised, while 44% had identification information compromised.

Privacy Commissioner Sonia Minutillo said the findings showed that the public places a high value on privacy and is concerned about the risks posed by data breaches and new technologies. She said NSW public sector agencies could strengthen trust by implementing robust governance frameworks for the use of personal information and maintaining strong privacy practices.

The IPC said it will use the results to identify ways to support agencies and the community, and to inform its forward work under the Privacy Proactive Regulatory Initiatives Program.

Why does it matter?

The findings point to a growing trust challenge for public-sector AI deployment. As governments expand the use of AI and automated decision-making, public confidence will depend not only on technical safeguards but also on privacy governance, transparency, and clear avenues for people to access, amend, or challenge the use of their personal information.

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Kazakhstan launches UNESCO AI readiness assessment initiative

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has announced the launch of its AI Readiness Assessment Methodology in Kazakhstan to evaluate the country’s preparedness for AI governance and development.

The framework is intended to help countries align AI governance approaches with UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. Representatives from government, academia, business, civil society, and expert organisations participated in the launch discussions.

Participants discussed Kazakhstan’s digital transformation priorities and plans related to AI ecosystem development. According to UNESCO representatives, the assessment process will address issues including human rights, inclusion, gender equality, and transparency in AI governance.

A national stakeholder group involving ministries, universities, business associations, and civil society organisations will support implementation and policy recommendations. The launch event was held at Astana Hub in Kazakhstan.

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India summit boosts inclusive AI for development

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Indian School of Business have convened the Governance Summit 2026, focusing on inclusive AI under the country’s Viksit Bharat development vision.

The one-day summit, held on 23 May 2026 at the ISB Mohali Campus, was organised in collaboration with the Bharti Institute of Public Policy. The event focused on AI-powered approaches to digital commerce, online safety, healthcare, governance, job creation, and digital entrepreneurship.

MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan said AI offers India an opportunity to improve productivity, governance, and access across sectors, including healthcare, education, manufacturing, and financial inclusion. He also said India is positioned to use AI for inclusive growth, while acknowledging concerns about its impact on cognitive jobs.

The programme included four thematic panels on AI in digital commerce, online safety for women and children, healthcare access and affordability, and job creation and digital entrepreneurship. A parallel roundtable examined how AI could support last-mile public service delivery, from state governments to gram panchayats.

Ashwini Chhatre, Associate Professor and Executive Director at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, said AI should be treated as a long-term national mission. He highlighted inequality, leapfrogging opportunities, and the future of jobs as key issues in India’s emerging AI landscape, and called for equitable access through safeguards, social security mechanisms, and affirmative action.

The summit brought together government officials, industry leaders, academics, and civil society representatives. Participants included Reliance Retail, Mastercard, Apollo Hospitals, IIT Madras, UNICEF India, Punjab Police, and central and state government ministries.

Why does it matter?

The summit reflects India’s effort to frame AI as part of a broader development and public service agenda, rather than solely as an industrial or innovation policy issue. Its focus on last-mile service delivery, online safety, healthcare access, jobs, and digital entrepreneurship points to the governance questions India will need to address as AI systems are deployed across public and economic sectors.

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European Commission delays tech sovereignty package again

The European Commission has postponed the presentation of its tech sovereignty package until 3 June, following several earlier delays. The publication had previously been scheduled for 25 March, 15 April and 27 May.

According to Euractiv, the package is expected to include the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act and Chips Act 2. The initiatives are intended to support digital infrastructure development and strengthen Europe’s semiconductor sector. The measures are also expected to encourage data centre investment and semiconductor manufacturing within the EU.

The latest postponement follows comments from the US ambassador to the EU concerning potential trade implications of European digital regulation. Euractiv additionally reported uncertainty regarding a proposed EU open-source strategy previously linked to the package.

The European Commission did not comment publicly on the latest delay.

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Canada backs AI adoption across Toronto businesses

Canada has announced nearly C$16.5 million in funding for 13 businesses and organisations in the Greater Toronto Area to support AI adoption and help bring new AI technologies to market.

The investment was announced by Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. The funding will support projects in healthcare, energy management, legal services, construction, finance, transportation, sensitive data infrastructure, and enterprise software.

Several projects focus on healthcare and life sciences. Cosm Medical will accelerate the clinical and commercial rollout of an AI-driven platform for patient-specific gynaecological devices, while Future Fertility will commercialise AI-powered technology for assessing endometrial receptivity. MarkiTech will advance an AI healthcare solution for clinical workflows, and ProteinQure will bring to market an AI-powered targeted drug delivery solution.

Other recipients will use AI to improve business operations and sector-specific workflows. DMD Building Systems will integrate robotics, automation, and AI software for engineering workflows, while Edgecom Energy will commercialise its AI Energy Co-Pilot platform for energy management. Trax will develop an AI-assisted platform for building permit compliance checks, and VisFuture will deliver a natural-language AI tool for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The funding also includes C$2 million for Private AI, operating as Limina, to scale a sensitive data infrastructure platform for regulated sectors such as healthcare, financial services, and insurance. MinuteBox will add advanced AI capabilities to its legal services platform, while Stratosphere Technology, operating as Fiscal.ai, will develop an AI-powered platform for structuring corporate filing data.

The Vector Institute will receive C$4 million to launch and deliver a programme helping start-ups improve data readiness, develop models, and deploy AI products. The Government of Canada said the investment is intended to support AI adoption, commercialisation, productivity, competitiveness, and Ontario’s wider AI ecosystem.

Why does it matter?

The funding shows how Canada is using regional development programmes to push AI from research and experimentation into sector-specific commercial deployment. The mix of recipients also points to a broader policy priority: supporting domestic AI capacity while encouraging adoption in regulated and productivity-sensitive sectors such as healthcare, finance, construction, energy, and legal services.

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US and Sweden expand cooperation on AI and strategic technologies

The White House has announced a new Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Sweden focused on cooperation in strategic technologies, research, and industrial innovation.

The agreement includes cooperation on AI systems, advanced connectivity, and secure 5G and 6G infrastructure. The memorandum also references collaboration on telecommunications standards, subsea communications infrastructure, and industrial AI applications.

Additional areas of cooperation include biomedical research, nuclear energy, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, and space technologies. The agreement also highlights research security, supply chain resilience, intellectual property protection, and safeguards related to sensitive research activities.

The US-Sweden agreement builds on a previous bilateral science and technology partnership established in 2006. The memorandum was published by The White House and its implementation will involve coordination mechanisms that also consider relevant EU regulatory developments.

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United Kingdom and Australia tighten alliance on AI security risks

The United Kingdom and Australia are deepening cooperation on AI security through a new partnership between the UK AI Security Institute and the Australian AI Safety Institute.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding, the two institutes will share information on frontier AI capabilities, collaborate on AI evaluation practices and exchange research findings. The UK government said the partnership will focus partly on how advanced AI systems could be used in cyberattacks, as well as how they can strengthen defensive capabilities.

The agreement will also support staff exchanges between the two institutes, strengthening day-to-day collaboration. UK officials said the partnership reflects the need for trusted international cooperation as AI systems evolve quickly and create new security and safety risks.

The UK’s AI Minister Kanishka Narayan is expected to sign the agreement with Australia’s Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Andrew Charlton, during a meeting in Canberra. Narayan said no country can address fast-moving AI risks alone, particularly in cybersecurity.

The announcement follows research from the UK AI Security Institute showing that advanced AI systems are rapidly improving their ability to carry out complex cyberattacks, creating opportunities for both attackers and defenders. The UK said the institute’s frontier AI research continues to inform policymaking to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, and the public.

Why does it matter?

The partnership shows how AI security is becoming a matter of international coordination, especially as frontier models develop stronger cyber capabilities. By sharing research, evaluation methods and staff expertise, the UK and Australia are trying to reduce blind spots in oversight and develop more consistent approaches to testing fast-moving AI systems.

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EU consultation closes on AI energy measurement

The European Commission has moved forward with work on measuring the energy consumption and emissions of AI models and systems, as part of preparations for a possible AI energy measurement framework under the EU AI Act.

The targeted consultation forms part of a Commission-procured study on measuring and promoting energy-efficient and low-emission AI in the European Union. Responses will help refine the study, contribute to a measurement framework for the AI Act’s energy-related objectives and support the design of a potential AI energy and emissions label.

The process focuses on how to measure energy use across the AI lifecycle, including development and training, as well as operational use and inference. The Commission says a comprehensive picture of AI’s energy efficiency and carbon footprint requires data on computational resources, electricity consumption and hardware details.

Under Annex XI of the AI Act, providers of general-purpose AI models must document known or estimated energy consumption as part of their technical documentation obligations. The consultation, therefore, targets developers and deployers of general-purpose AI models and AI systems, as well as component and service suppliers.

Stakeholders were asked about the accessibility of data needed to assess AI energy consumption and emissions, as well as the suitability of different AI performance indicators. The Commission said the aim is to develop a robust and practical industry-informed framework for measuring AI energy consumption and efficiency.

The AI Office will publish a summary of the consultation results based on aggregated data, with respondents not directly quoted.

Why does it matter?

AI’s growing energy demand is becoming a regulatory and environmental policy concern, especially as general-purpose AI models require substantial computing resources for training and inference. A common EU framework for measuring AI energy use and emissions could make environmental impacts more visible, support future transparency obligations and help compare systems more consistently. A possible AI energy and emissions label would also push sustainability into AI governance alongside safety, transparency and accountability.

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European Commission marks 10 years of GDPR

The European Commission has marked ten years since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) entered into force across the European Union.

The GDPR entered into force on 24 May 2016 and established a common data protection framework across EU member states, and introduced rules governing the collection and processing of personal data. According to the European Commission, the regulation strengthened individuals’ rights regarding how personal data is collected, processed, corrected, deleted, and shared.

The framework applies to organisations ranging from small businesses to multinational technology companies. Authorities across the EU have also issued significant penalties in cases involving non-compliance with the regulation.

The GDPR has influenced privacy and data protection discussions internationally and contributed to wider adoption of similar regulatory approaches.

The Commission linked the GDPR to broader EU digital regulation efforts, including the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the AI Act. According to the Commission, these measures address issues including platform accountability, competition, and AI governance.

The Commission also referenced online child protection initiatives, including work on age verification and cyberbullying prevention. It said the EU’s approach reflects the principle that the online world should serve people.

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Canada launches AI learning initiative for federal public servants

Canada’s School of Public Service is organising the Learning Week on Artificial Intelligence, an initiative aimed at strengthening AI understanding across the federal public service.

The programme is linked to the Government of Canada’s AI Strategy for the Federal Public Service 2025–2027.

The AI learning programme is open to public servants at all levels and across the country. The initiative includes live events, virtual sessions, self-paced learning tools, and practical demonstrations related to AI technologies.

According to organisers, the programme aims to improve awareness of AI-related opportunities, challenges, and skills within the public service.

The initiative also aligns with broader public service priorities involving digital transformation, productivity, and process modernisation.

Sessions will examine potential applications of AI in areas including policy development, service delivery, and internal administrative functions.

The programme is intended to support responsible AI adoption and prepare public servants in Canada for organisational and operational changes linked to AI technologies.

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