Artificial intelligence and data misuse

Prof. (Dr.) Karuna Hazarika

(Principal-cum-Chief Superintendent, Tezpur Medical College.

He can be reached at drkaruna97@gmail.com)

Imagine after a long, hectic day you are taking a rest in your bed room with a cup of tea and switching your ALEXA for your old favourite music, and you are in the sea of thoughts of old pleasant days and feel asleep. You have forgotten to switch off your most-sought-after new gadget, which can give you all the amusements and information you look for. In another situation, you are driving your newly purchased car that follows your command, going for a long drive with your loved one, having fun, and discussing sensitive issues all the way. Even your smart phones, etc., are also run or controlled by the new technology of artificial intelligence (AI). A common occurrence is that while we browse a website for an item, suddenly you will see all the sites you browsed show ads for the same item. Yours is everything that is recorded, observed, or listened to by somebody, as all these new electronic gadgets connected to the internet are controlled by the AI and have access to a third party all the time. This is interesting. Is it not? Surprisingly, we are not aware of it. There may be something without our knowledge or due to our ignorance. Artificial intelligence is being used in many aspects of our lives at an unprecedented rate as technology continues to improve at an unparalleled rate. AI has the power to completely change how we engage with technology, from generative AI that can produce any kind of content with only a single command to smart home appliances that understand our preferences and practices as well.

Personal information has become a very valuable and sought-after commodity in the digital age. Every day, enormous volumes of data are created and shared online, which helps organisations, governments, institutes, and enterprises get fresh insights and make better decisions. Sensitive information in this data, though, may be something people are reluctant to disclose or that businesses have utilised without permission. Privacy enters the picture here. Artificial intelligence (AI) models that rely on consumer data are frequently associated with data privacy. Users are understandably leery of automated technologies that collect and utilise their data, which may even contain sensitive data. The survival of AI models depends on privacy protection being a fundamental component of their design, since these models rely on high-quality data to produce meaningful findings.

To train and enhance their AI algorithms, a lot of well-known online services and businesses rely on big datasets. Even the most indifferent consumers may see some of the information in those datasets as private. Numerous sources, including social media posts, public documents, internet activity, employee’s data, and mostly AI in the health sector, may provide this information too. Although this information might initially appear innocent, it can reveal a great deal about an individual’s background, including their gender, colour, political views, religion, etc. Therefore, in the event that an AI system exhibits bias or discrimination, it may utilise this data to reinforce its biases, resulting in unjust or potentially harmful consequences for certain individuals. The misuse of personal data by some businesses and their excessive use have made privacy protection a global public policy concern now.

“That the same rights that people have offline also must be protected online, in particular freedom of expression,” the Human Rights Council declared in July 2012 in its resolution on the promotion and protection of human rights on the internet. Proclaimed as a historic UN resolution, it affirmed that human rights in the digital sphere must be preserved and advanced with the same fervour and devotion as those in the actual world. Governments all around the world are creating rules that businesses have to abide by regarding the handling of personal data. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced by the European Union in 2016. The Indian President officially signed the “Digital Personal Data Protection Bill” into law on August 11, 2023, after it was approved by both houses of the Indian Parliament. As India’s first-ever privacy act designed to protect residents’ personal data, this enactment marks a significant milestone by establishing a dedicated legal framework in the country. It highlights the duties and rights of individuals and organisations, as well as the significance of the Data Protection Board of India and its main rules.

In terms of privacy, businesses using artificial intelligence are already perceived negatively by the public. A survey conducted in 2020 by the European Consumer Organisation revealed that 45–60% of Europeans agreed that AI will increase the misuse of personal data. The right to privacy is the ability to prevent illicit access to and protection of personal information. Ensuring that people have control over their personal data and how it is used is a fundamental human right. Given the increasing volume of personal data being gathered and reviewed, privacy is more crucial than ever.

A multitude of factors make privacy essential. One benefit is that it shields people from dangers like fraud and identity theft. It also contributes to preserving personal autonomy and control over private information, both of which are necessary for respect and dignity for each individual. In addition, privacy enables people to continue their social and professional connections without worrying about being watched or obstructed. It safeguards our free will.One can’t emphasise how crucial privacy is in the digital age. It is an essential human right that is required for justice, safety, and individual liberty. AI is becoming more and more integrated into our daily lives; thus, we need to be careful about safeguarding our privacy to make sure that technology is used sensibly and morally.

The possibility of AI technology being abused by dishonest people is yet another important concern. As we experienced, AI can be used to produce convincingly phoney photos and videos that can be used to influence public opinion, propagate false information, etc. AI can also be used to develop extremely complex phishing assaults, which deceive people into disclosing personal information or clicking on harmful links. Such incidences are gradually increasing day by day in every aspect of life. A phoney image or video’s development and distribution could seriously compromise someone’s privacy. This is due to the fact that these made-up media frequently include actual people whose authorization may not have been obtained for the use of their image. This may result in circumstances where people are hurt and face difficult situations because of the propagation of fake media, either because it is employed to disseminate inaccurate or harmful information.

Large tech corporations like Google, Amazon, and Meta now have unparalleled access to data, which allows them to affect consumer behaviour and the direction of the world economy. Due to their power to sway public opinion and direct governmental policy, they appear to be becoming more and more active in politics. Such big tech businesses are expected to grow even more significant as we approach the meta universe, a virtual world where people live, work, and communicate. Such corporations will have even more opportunity to use their data and influence since the virtual world will generate more data usage than the internet does now.

AI technology’s data collection and utilisation practices are among its most important effects. AI systems are made to analyse enormous volumes of data in order to learn and get better. Because of this, concerns regarding data protection and privacy are raised by the fact that AI systems are collecting an increasing amount of personal data. All it takes to see how our documented data, like articles, photos, videos, paintings, and so on, is being utilised in different media, frequently without our permission, sometimes even without our knowledge, is to look at the different generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, Google Bird, Chatsonic, Midjourney, Synthesia, SecondBrain, or any of the other tools that are being developed. Interestingly, and more significantly, AI systems’ usage of personal data isn’t always visible. Because AI systems’ algorithms can be very complicated, it can be challenging for people to comprehend how their data is being utilised to make decisions that have an impact on them. So, unease and mistrust in AI systems can result from a lack of openness.

In an effort to safeguard personal privacy in the era of artificial intelligence, the European Union (EU) Parliament has made a major advancement. A proposal to outlaw the use of AI surveillance in public areas has gained support from the majority of the EU Parliament. This plan will outlaw the use of AI surveillance technologies, such as facial recognition, in public spaces unless there is a clear threat to public safety. This choice is a reflection of the growing concern over the possibility that AI technology will be applied in a way that violates people’s privacy and other fundamental rights.

Artificial intelligence is clearly predicted to play a key role in all important advancements in the years to come and to fundamentally alter the way things are done in the world today. It probably plays a vital supporting role in every major industry and organization. These tools are helpful since humans are still in charge of making decisions; they can handle predetermined jobs. These tools not only assist us in developing processes, but they also significantly improve networks and workflows. Large volumes of data are required for AI systems, and several highly regarded online services and goods would not function without the personal information needed to train their AI algorithms. However, there are numerous approaches to enhance data collection, utilisation, and management, including improving algorithms and data management in general. Businesses that value privacy must implement AI that respects the privacy of every individual with strict monitoring and without compromise.