HKUST Business School Magazine

Biz@HKUST Biz@HKUST 10 11 // Cover // Thought Leader M O R E Privacy is a fundamental human right. Protection of personal data is particularly important in a digital era Accountability Organisations should be responsible for what they do, and provide justification for their actions. The PCPD proposes seven ethical principles for the ethical development and use of AI Organisations should disclose how they use AI, and the relevant policies, to stakeholders while improving the interpretability of automated AI decisions. The level of human involvement should be proportionate to the risks and impact of using AI. The use of AI should provide benefits and minimise harm to stakeholders. Effective data governance should be put in place to protect an individual’s personal data privacy during both the development and use of AI. Bias and discrimination should be avoided. AI systems should operate reliably, be free of errors, and be protected against attacks. Transparency & Interpretability Human Oversight Beneficial AI Fairness Reliability, Robustness & Security Data Privacy Ada Chung Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data both organizations and individuals. Promotion and publicity work have to take place in order to raise the awareness of how to protect personal data, especially for the more vulnerable segments of society such as the youth and the elderly. “A lot of people are simply not aware of these issues,” says Chung in an urgent tone. “They need to be aware that their personal data is a valuable asset and that they shouldn’t be giving it away too easily, and in arbitrary manner,” she says. The watchdog has also been visiting schools to educate students about personal data protection, and to increase the general awareness of scams and fraud. Chung also wants to teach students to be wary of online communications from unknown sources. Regulations Set to Increase As technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more commonplace, the PCPD will continue to have a greater role to play in safeguarding personal data. So looking to the future, Chung says that regulations will likely become more common, and there will be a greater focus on automated technology like AI. The PCPD recognizes that AI is developing rapidly, and is aware of the many privacy concerns and risks to fundamental human values that could arise. That’s why the PCPD has been working hard to create ethical frameworks. In August this year, the PCPD issued the “Guidance on the Ethical Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence” to help organisations understand and comply with the relevant requirements of the PDPO when they develop or use AI. “The next ten years will be the era of AI, and it will bring fundamental changes to the way people behave, and to our daily lives,” Chung says. “The effect of AI on human beings will be tremendous.” It is for these reasons that Chung thinks frameworks and guidelines must be put in place to regulate how data is being used. “I believe that in the years to come, there will be more emphasis on accountability and what businesses should do to comply with the law,” Chung says. Such developments will include the development and implementation of Personal Data Privacy Management Programme (PMP) by organizations, to gain trust from customers and other stakeholders, as well as the appointment of Data Protection Officers to oversee organisations’ compliance with the PDPO. Cybersecurity will also become a hot issue in the boardroom in the coming years. The Ethics of AI