Building AI That Respects Our Privacy

COMMENTARY

As a technologist, I experiment for a living. I consider it my job to break things in order to make new ones — daily.

In 2020, it wasn't the tech that was broken, it was me, and I leaned into artificial intelligence (AI) for the fix. I built a crude AI system that aggregated my Fitbit data and healthcare records with my financial information, email, and more. My "databox" started to tell me when to exercise, when to drink less, and when to slow down on spending. I started to feel better. I also started to grasp how powerful having my data in one place could be when, unbeknownst to me, the app had a conversation with my then girlfriend.

While this experience helped me see the light, it also highlighted the dark places we could find ourselves if we don't have control over our own data. Four years later, we're having heated debates about the role AI should play in our lives and what we need to do to control the negative ramifications of it.

How to Integrate Privacy Into AI

Like most things, there is no black and white approach to the ethical application of AI. So as the world grapples with its impact and we wait for legislation to protect us, we innovators have a responsibility — and I'd argue an opportunity — to start implementing privacy best practices, or standards that we need to protect and uphold basic human rights. This one step alone could help us start to envision an AI-centric world that works to our advantage, while limiting its negative impact.

Here's where we can start:

What We Can Do Today

However, until these are in place, we need to discover ways to work with the current system. Here is what we can do now to take advantage of the benefits of AI while protecting our data:

Until federal law can move at the speed of innovation, we'll see a discrepancy between the protections offered and the risks associated with technology, leaving each of us to mitigate risk through self-education and ethical responsibilities. So let's take up the challenge with a moral compass and consumer-forward approach that can help artificial intelligence work harder for us, faster — while maintaining our fundamental right to privacy.