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AI, AI, AI. Hailed as the next tech frontier, there are numerous uses and benefits to this, but have you thought about how much data is being collected from you?
You value your privacy, but how can you protect yourself and your business?New regulations help, but the onus is also on us to be vigilant. We need to educate ourselves on how our data is used, read privacy policies carefully, and limit what we share. With some smart moves, you can enjoy the perks of AI while keeping your confidential and personal data secure. Read on to find out how you can guard your privacy.
AI systems are increasingly being used to collect and analyze our personal data. Unfortunately, this also means the threat of AI privacy violations is growing. Many companies gather information about you to improve their services, but some collect more data than necessary or don’t properly protect it.
It’s often unclear exactly what data AI systems are gathering and how they’re using it. Companies frequently bury consent for data collection in lengthy privacy policies that hardly anyone reads. We end up providing more personal details than we realize, and lose control of how that information is used.
Even when data is collected responsibly, it’s at risk of being hacked or improperly accessed. AI systems require huge amounts of data to function, so they’re an attractive target for cybercriminals. Data breaches expose people’s private details and can have devastating consequences like identity theft.
AI systems can reflect and even amplify the biases of their human creators. They may discriminate unfairly against individuals or groups in areas like job hiring, insurance coverage, and loan applications. And because AI decision making is often opaque, people usually have no way of knowing when or how the AI system is biased against them.
The threats to privacy and fairness from AI will only intensify as technologies like facial recognition become more widespread. Laws and policies are still struggling to keep up with the pace of progress. While AI will likely transform our lives and society in many positive ways, we must ensure it respects human values like privacy, transparency, and justice. Our future depends on building AI systems that are ethical by design.
AI systems require massive amounts of data to function properly, but all that information comes with risks. In recent years, there have been some major breaches of trust when it comes to data collection.
In 2018, it was revealed that millions of Facebook users' personal data had been harvested without their consent and used to target political ads. The data was collected through a Facebook app and then improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm. This massive breach of privacy highlighted the potential for AI and data mining tools to be misused.
In another case, Amazon's facial recognition tool Rekognition falsely matched 28 members of Congress to mugshots in a database. The ACLU, which conducted the test, said it proved the dangers of using unreliable facial recognition on large populations. The tool struggled especially with people of color, showing how AI biases can negatively impact marginalized groups.
In 2019, a Dutch broadcaster revealed that Google Assistant had been accidentally recording and storing private conversations from homes and businesses. The recordings were supposed to only be activated by a "Hey Google" prompt, but the AI assistant was mistakenly turning itself on and recording. Google apologized and changed its policy, but it highlighted how AI voice assistants can violate privacy without users realizing.
As AI becomes increasingly advanced and integrated into our lives, we need to make data privacy and security a top priority. Regulations, oversight, and transparency are needed to ensure these powerful technologies aren't used to violate people's trust or cause real-world harm. With vigilance and accountability, we can enjoy the benefits of AI while protecting confidentiality.
As AI systems become more advanced and integrated into our daily lives, the risks of privacy violations also increase. While AI has the potential to improve our world in many ways, we must remain vigilant to ensure our data and personal information stay secure. Here are some steps you can take to safeguard your data while using AI applications.
When developing AI systems, limit data access to only those who need it for their jobs. Establish clear data access policies that specify who can view and use which data. Require strong passwords and two-factor authentication for access.
Perform routine privacy audits of your AI systems and data practices. Look for any weaknesses or vulnerabilities. Audits should include checks of data access policies, user controls, security measures, and more.
Carefully review the data collection and privacy policies of any AI services you use. Look for details on what specific data is gathered, how it’s used, and whether it’s shared with or sold to third parties. If a policy is vague or you’re uncomfortable with the amount of data collected, consider using a different service. Your data is valuable, so don’t give it away lightly.
For AI systems that store your personal information like banking apps, social media, and email services, turn on two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication. This adds an extra layer of security for your login and helps prevent unauthorized access. Two-factor authentication using SMS text messages or an authentication app is better than nothing, but avoid it if possible. Use an option like an authenticator app, security key, or biometrics instead.
Review your accounts regularly for any signs of suspicious activity. Watch for unknown logins from other locations, friend requests from strangers, messages you didn't send, or new apps you didn't authorize. Identity theft is a serious concern, so the sooner you detect malicious activity, the sooner you can take action to secure your accounts. Enable alerts from services when available to notify you of important account activity.
A password manager generates strong, unique passwords for all your accounts and remembers them for you. This helps prevent using the same or similar passwords across sites, which is a major security risk. A password manager also makes it easy to change passwords regularly, which is a good habit for account security. Look for a reputable password manager that uses encryption to secure your data.
Require all employees and contractors who work with AI systems and data to complete regular privacy and security training. Training should cover data handling best practices, company policies, and how to spot and report privacy risks. Stay up-to-date with the latest laws and regulations around AI and data use.
With strong privacy protections and security protocols in place, AI can be used responsibly. But constant vigilance and a two-way commitment to privacy are needed to guard against violations. When privacy and ethics are embedded into AI development, the technology has the potential to benefit society in a safe, fair, and transparent manner.
The Opilot founding team was concerned that the new genAI tools would make data privacy issues worse than they already are. They decided to create a company specifically designed to help users reap the benefits of AI without having to compromise their privacy or their security.
All data is processed locally on-device- you can even run Opilot offline. Because no data is sent over the internet, there are no risks of hackers intercepting it, and no risks of employees accessing your data. No servers are involved in the processing, your data is kept fully private and secure. Nobody sees your data, not even the team at Opilot.
Opilot’s policies and practices align with major data protection laws like GDPR and CCPA. Strict compliance with privacy regulations is a top priority as we continue enhancing Opilot’s capabilities.
Opilot was designed to enable the use of AI without sacrificing your right to privacy. We believe that with responsible data stewardship and a focus on ethics, AI technology can achieve its full potential to help and empower users and businesses, regardless of how confidential their data is.
Enjoy the benefits of AI, with airtight data privacy and protection.
Here at Opilot, we want to enable people and companies to take back control of their data and their AI models. People should be able to use AI models that align with their needs, culture and values. If this resonates with you, please feel free to try Opilot, your seamless and secure copilot Here.
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