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Hello all, and happy Thursday!
At its Worldwide Developer Conference this past Monday, Apple unveiled its suite of AI capabilities, known collectively as Apple Intelligence. True to form, Apple is asserting that its brand is the privacy-conscious choice when it comes to personal devices and AI.
In a blog post (which you can review in this week’s stories below), Apple described why that is. The most notable effort it’s made in support of privacy is to keep as much of the AI processing on-device as possible. If your data never leaves your device, your privacy is theoretically secure (so long as your device is secure).
But on-device microchips can only process so much; when data needs to be sent to Apple’s servers, it will be sent to a “Private Cloud Computer.” In theory, this system will function as an encryption protocol, ensuring that your data is only used for the desired task.
Will it work? Only time will tell. Elon Musk, for one, seems to think that these new AI-enabled Apple devices represent a major security risk, though that seems like it has more to do with personal beef than real concern for end-users' privacy.
Two things are for certain:
- Big Tech companies aren’t going to pump the brakes on AI just because there are data privacy considerations.
- Any degree of privacy by design that can be injected into AI systems is a good thing.
Given that, it’s encouraging to see data privacy in the spotlight when it comes to on-device AI.
Best,
Arlo
Top Privacy Stories of the Week
London Hospitals Crippled by Major Cyberattack on Synnovis: Critical Services Disrupted
Major hospitals in London are grappling with severe disruptions following a cyberattack on Synnovis, a key pathology services provider. The initial cyberattack was detected on Monday, and its immediate repercussions were felt by patients requiring critical services such as blood transfusions. The attack is reportedly linked to a Russian cyber gang, indicating a high level of sophistication and malicious intent.
Australia Regulator Files Lawsuit Against Medibank Over Data Breach
Australia's privacy regulator said on Wednesday it had filed a lawsuit against the country's biggest health insurer Medibank over a data breach that exposed personal information of millions of customers on the dark web. In civil penalty proceedings filed in the Federal Court, the Australian Information Commissioner said Medibank "seriously interfered" with the privacy of Australians by failing to take reasonable steps to protect data from misuse.
Privacy Authorities in Canada and UK Announce Joint Probe Of 23andMe Data Breach
A breach discovered in October 2023 exposed the genetic data of at least 5 million users of the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company. Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne and U.K. Information Commissioner John Edwards said their offices will jointly investigate in order to augment their individual efforts. The probe will focus on how much information was exposed and how it harmed victims; whether 23andMe adequately protected the highly sensitive genetic data; and whether the company appropriately alerted the two regulators as well as victims under each country’s data protection laws.
Apple Outlines Privacy, Governance Principles for On-device AI System
Apple recently introduced Apple Intelligence, a generative AI system for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. In a blog post, Apple listed out the principles informing their approach to AI, including their considerations on data privacy.
Facebook Owner Meta Seeks to Train AI Model on European Data as It Faces Privacy Concerns
Meta wants to use data from users in privacy-conscious Europe to train its artificial intelligence models, the social media giant said Monday as it faces concerns about data protection while battling to keep up with rivals like OpenAI and Google.
Osano Blog:
Making the Business Case for Your Data Privacy Program
Struggle to demonstrate why data privacy matters to your business? Data privacy professionals know why data privacy matters, but sometimes struggle to frame it in terms of business impact. These seven tips serve as an essential framework when making the business case for your privacy program.
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