
IAMAI Seeks Exemption for AI Firms from Few Data Privacy Rules
The Indian government has been actively working towards strengthening data privacy regulations in the country. The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act is one such initiative aimed at safeguarding the personal data of individuals. However, the latest development suggests that the Association of Indian Media and Entertainment Industry (IAMAI) has urged the Centre to temporarily exempt certain legal restrictions under the DPDP Act for AI firms. According to IAMAI, the current data protection requirements could hinder AI training, and the DPDP’s rules make it impractical for these firms to verify if all publicly accessible personal data was voluntarily shared.
AI firms rely heavily on publicly available personal data to train their models and improve their algorithms. However, the DPDP Act requires all data controllers to obtain explicit consent from individuals before collecting and processing their personal data. This has created a challenge for AI firms, which need large datasets to train their models. IAMAI has argued that the current regulations could hinder the growth of the AI industry in India and make it difficult for these firms to operate in a competitive market.
IAMAI has requested the Centre to grant a temporary exemption to AI firms from certain provisions of the DPDP Act. The association has argued that the exemption would allow AI firms to use publicly available personal data for training their models without having to obtain explicit consent from individuals. This, in turn, would enable AI firms to improve their algorithms and develop more accurate models.
The DPDP Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in December 2021. The Act aims to protect the personal data of individuals by establishing a framework for data protection and privacy. The Act provides for the appointment of a Data Protection Authority (DPA) to oversee the implementation of the data protection regime in India. The DPA is responsible for enforcing the provisions of the DPDP Act and ensuring that data controllers comply with the Act’s requirements.
IAMAI has argued that the DPDP Act’s requirement for explicit consent from individuals before collecting and processing their personal data is impractical for AI firms. The association has pointed out that AI firms rely heavily on publicly available personal data to train their models, and obtaining explicit consent from individuals for every piece of data could be time-consuming and impractical.
In addition, IAMAI has argued that the DPDP Act’s provisions on data minimization and data retention could also hinder the growth of the AI industry in India. The association has pointed out that AI firms need to store large datasets to train their models, and the DPDP Act’s requirements on data minimization and data retention could make it difficult for these firms to operate in a competitive market.
The DPDP Act’s provisions on data minimization and data retention require data controllers to collect and process only the personal data that is necessary for the purpose for which it is collected. The Act also requires data controllers to retain personal data only for as long as it is necessary for the purpose for which it is collected. IAMAI has argued that these provisions could make it difficult for AI firms to store large datasets, which are necessary for training their models.
In conclusion, IAMAI’s request for a temporary exemption for AI firms from certain provisions of the DPDP Act is an important development in the Indian AI industry. The exemption would allow AI firms to use publicly available personal data for training their models without having to obtain explicit consent from individuals. This would enable AI firms to improve their algorithms and develop more accurate models, which would be beneficial for the Indian economy.
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