The Catalan Data Protection Authority (APDCAT) has defended today at the Mobile World Congress the need to develop an ethical and trustworthy artificial intelligence that comply with European requirements regarding the fundamental rights and privacy of individuals in order to be competitive.
During the panel ‘Artificial Intelligence Act and General Data Protection Regulation: implications for international cooperation and enforcement’, the director of the APDCAT, Meritxell Borràs, insisted that it is a strategic imperative for companies to comply with European regulations on artificial intelligence and data protection, because only the ones who do so will be able to compete in the European digital market.
The exchange of information is essential to design and develop AI systems and models, but suppliers and developers must comply with European regulations, and have a legal basis to carry out this data flow, the director recalled. However, he admitted that these are complex rules, which require, precisely, close collaboration between regulators, public bodies and private entities, in order to consolidate a framework to operate with legal and technical certainty, while continuing to innovate.
He also highlighted the work of the APDCAT in the field of AI, as it has been recognised by Spanish government as one of the authorities for the protection of fundamental rights under the AI Act. For Borràs, there would be no AI without data, nor so much data without so many people interacting in a digital world. We must continue to advance to build the society we want, although finding balance in a globalized world will not be easy, he concluded.
Global cooperation for secure data use
The session, moderated by the head of the APDCAT’s Legal Department, Xavier Urios Aparisi, was attended by Lieven Brouwers, Head of Sector, Data Flows and other International Aspects of the Digital Economy of the European Commission.In his speech, Brouwers emphasized the critical role of data in driving digital transformation and innovation. While highlighting how data is central to the digital economy enabling businesses to create products and services for consumers, he stressed that data is not a regular asset; it is intrinsic to human dignity and autonomy, making trust a decisive factor for the digital economy.
He discussed the importance of the GDPR in fostering a trustworthy digital environment and how it has paved the way for new EU digital rules, including the Artificial Intelligence Regulation. This Act aims to ensure that AI development considers the impact on fundamental rights and complements the GDPR by maintaining the principle that individuals should control their personal data. Finally, he emphasised the global cooperation needed to support safe data use in AI, highlighting recent initiatives and the role of data protection authorities in providing guidance and enforcement.
