Artificial Intelligence is already in use in at least one Data Protection Authority (DPA) and Finland recently made legal changes to allow automatic decision-making by public bodies. Meanwhile, in business, technology departments are demanding that compliance teams either clear the way or give plain guidelines for deploying AI solutions.

A session at PL&B's 36th Annual International Conference brought together a DPA head, two data lawyers and a data lawyer turned “data disrupter” to discuss the way forward for public authorities and the private sector.

Anu Talus, speaking her capacity of Data Protection Commissioner, Finland(1), outlined the legal changes that had been made in her country to allow public authorities to use automated decision-making. During the legislative process, the parliamentary Constitutional Law Committee(2) made it clear that when automated decision-making is applied by a public authority there needs to be clear “civil servant liability,” she said.