The Power of Privacy and AI Governance
In a recent episode of the ODSC’s Ai X podcast, Beatrice Botti, the Chief Privacy Officer at DoubleVerify, shared her insights on the evolving landscape of privacy, AI governance, and risk management. Beatrice’s extensive experience in law and technology provides a unique perspective on these critical issues. So let’s explore her thoughts and advice on navigating the complex world of AI and privacy.
Get your ODSC Europe 2024 pass today!
In-Person and Virtual Conference
September 5th to 6th, 2024 — London
Featuring 200 hours of content, 90 thought leaders and experts, and 40+ workshops and training sessions, Europe 2024 will keep you up-to-date with the latest topics and tools in everything from machine learning to generative AI and more.
The Journey to Privacy Leadership
At the start of the interview, Beatrice began by outlining her career trajectory, which spans over a decade in the United States, after moving from Italy where she completed her law degree. Her initial roles included working at Virgin Pulse, a health and wellness company, where she developed an understanding of privacy in the health sector. This experience set the stage for her current path.
The Role of a Chief Privacy Officer in 2024
As Chief Privacy Officer at DoubleVerify, Beatrice’s responsibilities extend beyond traditional privacy concerns. She is involved in data governance and AI governance, ensuring that the company’s use of AI is ethical, and structured, and mitigates risks. Of course, this includes both proprietary AI and third-party AI, which necessitates a comprehensive approach to managing AI-related risks in an ever-changing compliance-laden world.
Expanding Privacy by Design to AI Governance
Beatrice emphasized the importance of privacy by design and privacy by default, principles that have been increasingly adopted in recent years. These principles are not only about compliance but also about building consumer trust. She believes that AI governance should follow a similar path, integrating ethical considerations from the inception of AI development through to deployment.
Managing Third-Party AI Risks
A significant part of Beatrice’s role involves managing third-party AI risks. She discussed how DoubleVerify has expanded its vendor onboarding process to include AI-specific questions and contract language. This ensures that third-party vendors are responsible for the AI they deploy and adhere to the same stringent standards as DoubleVerify’s proprietary AI systems.
AI in Different Sectors
Drawing from her experience in various sectors, including healthcare, wellbeing, and advertising, Beatrice highlighted the unique challenges each sector faces in AI governance. She pointed out that while AI’s role in these industries is now more prominent, automated decision-making has been a long-standing element. The recent surge in generative AI has only brought these discussions to the forefront as many leaders see the potential of the technology.
The Importance of Transparency and Trust
In the next part of the interview, Beatrice stressed that transparency and trust are crucial for organizations developing AI technologies. With the public becoming more aware and concerned about AI’s impact, companies need to be transparent about their processes and practices. This transparency helps build trust with consumers and can serve as a competitive differentiator in the market, while incentivizing companies to be aware of important issues related to AI and ethics.
Privacy as a Competitive Differentiator
Here, things got pretty interesting. Beatrice drew parallels between the evolution of privacy and the emerging importance of AI governance. She cited Apple’s conservative approach to privacy as an example of how prioritizing privacy can be a strategic advantage. Companies that can demonstrate robust privacy and AI governance practices are likely to gain a competitive edge by building consumer trust and loyalty. And one thing many legacy brands know full well is that trust can deliver dividends for decades.
The Future of AI Governance
Toward the end of the interview, Beatrice made clear that she believes that good AI governance will become increasingly important. As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, companies must ensure their AI systems are reliable, non-discriminatory, and explainable. This will not only help mitigate risks but also meet growing consumer expectations for transparency and accountability.
ODSC West 2024 70% off ends soon!
In-Person & Virtual Data Science Conference
October 29th-31st, 2024 — Burlingame, CA
Join us for 300+ hours of expert-led content, featuring hands-on, immersive training sessions, workshops, tutorials, and talks on cutting-edge AI tools and techniques, including our first-ever track devoted to AI Robotics!
Conclusion on AI Governance
Beatrice Botti’s insights highlight the critical role of privacy and AI governance in today’s digital landscape. Her experience underscores the importance of integrating ethical considerations into AI development and deployment. By prioritizing transparency, trust, and robust governance practices, companies can not only comply with regulations but also differentiate themselves in a competitive market. As AI continues to evolve, these principles will be essential for ensuring its responsible and beneficial use in society.
You can listen to the full podcast on Spotify, Apple, and SoundCloud.To take an even deeper dive into AI topics and tools, and their effects on society at large, join us at one of our upcoming conferences, ODSC APAC (August 13th, Free Virtual), ODSC Europe (September 5–6, Hybrid), or ODSC West (October 29–31, Hybrid).
Originally posted on OpenDataScience.com
Read more data science articles on OpenDataScience.com, including tutorials and guides from beginner to advanced levels! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here and receive the latest news every Thursday. You can also get data science training on-demand wherever you are with our Ai+ Training platform. Interested in attending an ODSC event? Learn more about our upcoming events here.
