South Korea: AI Privacy Risk Management Model for Safer AI Use
South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has launched a new framework to help AI companies manage privacy risks effectively. Published on December 19, 2024, the AI Privacy Risk Management Model aims to guide AI firms in navigating privacy challenges tailored to specific contexts, such as the types and applications of AI technologies.
Proactive Privacy Risk Management
The PIPC emphasizes the importance of addressing privacy risks early in the development process. The model encourages companies to adopt Privacy by Design principles, embedding safeguards from the planning and development stages of AI systems. It also recommends regular and repeated assessments, especially when systems are updated or the environment changes.
Identifying Key Privacy Risks
The framework categorizes privacy risks based on the AI lifecycle, from development to deployment. It distinguishes between risks in generative AI (e.g., creating new content) and discriminative AI (e.g., decision-making systems), offering tailored recommendations for each type.
Practical Measures to Reduce Privacy Risks
The model outlines several steps to mitigate privacy concerns:
Data Management: Track the origin and usage history of training data and set clear usage policies.
Testing for Violations: Use "AI privacy red teams" to identify and address privacy breaches.
Impact Assessments: Conduct assessments if training data includes sensitive or significant amounts of personal information.
Technical Safeguards: Preprocess training data by removing unnecessary information, pseudonymizing or anonymizing data, and using techniques like differential privacy to protect individual identities. Fine-tuning AI models and applying input/output filters are also suggested.
Strengthening Governance
The model calls for a revamped approach to privacy governance, highlighting the role of the Chief Privacy Officer (CPO). Clear definitions of responsibilities within the AI value chain and collaboration with other organizations are seen as critical to maintaining effective privacy oversight and ensuring data subjects' rights.
Flexibility in Implementation
While the model offers comprehensive measures, the PIPC notes that companies are not required to adopt every recommendation. Instead, the guidelines serve as a flexible toolkit, enabling firms to tailor their privacy management strategies to specific needs.
For further details, the PIPC's original press release is available in Korean - here