Data protection and privacy commissioners adopt declaration on ethics and AI

Data protection authorities from over 15 countries adopted a Declaration on ethics and data protection in artificial intelligence (AI), in the context of the 40th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners which was held on 22–26 October 2018, in Brussels. The declaration notes that “any creation, development and use of artificial intelligence systems shall fully respect human rights, particularly the rights to the protection of personal data and to privacy, as well as human dignity, non-discrimination and fundamental values”. In line with this goal, several principles are listed that should guide the design, development and use of AI: fairness; continued attention, vigilance and accountability for the potential effects of AI systems; transparency and intelligibility; responsibility and the application of privacy by default and privacy by design approaches;  empowerment of individuals; reducing and mitigating biases and discriminations. While calling for common governance principles on AI, the authorities also announced the creation of a permanent working group on ethics and data protection in AI, tasked with promoting an understanding of and respect for the aforementioned principles.