Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions – AICOS
10.05.2024
Professionals and experts gathered to debate one of the most current topics related to technology and innovation. “Privacy in AI” was the theme of the workshop organised by the Center for Responsible AI.
“This workshop provided an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge on Privacy in AI, where we discussed various techniques to address privacy challenges, concluding there is no silver bullet. Multidisciplinarity is vital moving forward, and this type of initiatives are key to improve literacy on data and AI since we are all stakeholders in this increasingly digital world”, underlined André Carreiro, Senior Researcher at Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS (FhP-AICOS) and responsible for the session.
Last April 12, FhP-AICOS, as one of the consortium's partners, hosted this workshop intended to be a bold and daring idea and knowledge exchange initiative. In an era where AI progresses rapidly, the development of privacy-preserving measures lags behind. This workshop sought to bridge this gap, offering a practical and theoretical exploration of privacy in AI, underscored by real-world applications and some legal insights.
Experts from the Centre for Responsible AI visited FhP-AICOS’ headquarter in Porto for a workshop which reinforced the central role that privacy plays in our research and development initiatives, with a special focus on strengthening privacy and ethics in Artificial Intelligence. From our research team André Carreiro, Vítor Rolla and Telmo Baptista shared some of the innovative solutions developed by FhP-AICOS to address the challenges of privacy in AI.
Key insights from the workshop:
- Privacy in AI Goes Beyond Legal Compliance: Privacy must be an integral part of every solution from the outset, building trust with users.
- No One-Size-Fits-All Solution: Striking a balance between protecting individual privacy and promoting innovation and valuable data insights is a fine line that must be walked with awareness.
- Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Addressing privacy in AI requires a joint effort involving experts in technology, law, ethics, and the specific application domain.
- Education and Awareness: Improving literacy among stakeholders and the general public is crucial for the safe and informed use of AI.
- Evolving Regulations: Continuous monitoring and adaptability to changing regulations are essential in a dynamic and ever-evolving legal landscape.
As a member of the Centre for Responsible AI consortium, FhP-AICOS is dedicated to leading the conversation around privacy in AI and providing innovative solutions that respect user privacy while fostering technological advancements. We believe that by working together, we can shape a future where AI is developed and used responsibly, ethically, and with the highest regard for individual privacy.
The Centre for Responsible AI is one of the projects supported by the PRR and aims to position Portugal and Europe as a global leader in Responsible AI technologies. It brings together ten startups, including two unicorns, eight research centres in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra – among which is Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS -, a law firm (Vieira de Almeida) and industry leaders in life sciences (Bial), retail (Sonae MC), health (Luz Saúde) and tourism (Grupo Pestana). This group is working on the development of 21 products based on Responsible AI technologies and principles.