Ireland wants data for AI without consent

The Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union has presented plans for an amendment to the digital legislation that would allow AI companies to use data from European residents without their consent. This proposal stems from a leaked document and pressures privacy rights within the EU. The suggested approach creates a separate status for AI systems, whereby the use of personal data in the context of AI is automatically declared lawful.

This amendment, coming from the European Commission, arrives at a crucial moment as Ireland serves as the headquarters for many AI companies from the United States and China. Critics, including privacy activist Max Schrems from noyb, point to the dangers of such an exemption that could undermine past promises of limited data processing. He highlights "Article 88bis," which he believes offers a loophole for unlimited data usage by AI, representing a digital expropriation of the European citizen in his view.

Schrems emphasizes that the changes seriously disrupt the balance between commercial interests and privacy. Large tech companies would benefit from the new opportunities to use their existing datasets without user consent, leading to a distorted market position for smaller companies. All this occurs in a context where Irish policy seems to mainly benefit large foreign companies, posing the risk that knowledge and technology from the EU will shift to other regions such as the United States and China.

This development raises questions about the future of personal data in the EU and the strategy surrounding data protection. The consensus within the Council of the EU on the proposal suggests it enjoys broad support, increasing the likelihood that this new legislation will be pushed through. The upcoming discussion on the details, led by Ireland, will be decisive for the final shaping of this important regulation.

Read the full article from AI Insider.