It’s AI and GDPR, not AI or GDPR

It’s AI and GDPR, not AI or GDPR

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Mastering GDPR and the New EU AI Act: essential tips for Irish businesses

As an increasing number of companies deploy AI systems, they must now navigate two major EU regulations: the well-established General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the forthcoming EU Artificial Intelligence Act.

One important aspect that few people have noticed so far, is the ways in which these laws overlap: if an AI system processes personal data, it must comply with both GDPR’s data protection rules and the AI Act’s obligations. To help smoothly navigate the changes, firms can take some simple first steps.

Get ahead with compliance

To stay on top, weave GDPR and AI Act rules into your AI projects from the start. Key steps? Audit your AI systems and data flows, ensure you have a lawful basis for using personal data, and blend "privacy by design" with "AI risk management." The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has already cracked down on non-compliance.

Just last month, the DPC began an investigation into the use of EU personally identifiable information to train Elon Musk’s Grok AI platform. Early alignment with GDPR and the AI Act not only helps your business avoid penalties, but also builds trust and gives you a competitive edge through ethical AI practices.

Transparency and accountability

Both GDPR and the AI Act stress the importance of transparency and accountability. Under GDPR, you need a legal basis for processing personal data and must inform individuals how AI uses their data. GDPR also limits fully automated decisions that significantly affect people unless safeguards are in place.

The AI Act adds more duties – for high-risk AI, ensure quality data management, human oversight, and detailed technical documentation before deployment. This means thorough impact assessments and fixing biases or errors in training data. Non-compliance could be costly: GDPR fines can reach €20 million or 4% of global turnover, and the AI Act threatens fines up to €35 million or 7% for serious breaches.

Take early action

Don't wait for penalties to catch up with you. Start integrating GDPR and AI Act requirements into your AI projects today. Build trust, stay compliant, and gain a competitive edge with ethical AI practices. Contact www.brecon.ai to join other Irish companies that are benefitting from making compliance part of their growth strategy.