Consent is the ethical commitment to ensure that a person freely and knowingly gives permission to collect or use personal data. Informed consent, a stronger form of this ethic, requires AI companies to educate users about the AI’s risks and benefits, and provide alternatives should they decline consent.
Consent is innately related to the human right to privacy, specifically, the ability for a person to maintain their agency over data use, such as restricting processing, requesting rectification, and exercising their right to data erasure. Special attention is needed to ensure AI respects human autonomy and prevents coercion or manipulation. Enforceable laws and ethical business practices are essential for ensuring that consent protocols protect these rights.
As AI evolves and becomes more pervasive across sectors, developers must create user-friendly tools that empower individuals to customize their permissions and remain knowledgeable about how to navigate AI’s growing influence in society.
Recommended Reading
Jessica Fjeld, Nele Achten, Hannah Hilligoss, Adam Nagy, and Madhulika Srikumar. "Principled Artificial Intelligence: Mapping Consensus in Ethical and Rights-Based Approaches to Principles for AI." Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Research Publication No. 2020-1, January 15, 2020.
Last updated: January 16, 2025
Contributor(s): Nathan C. Walker
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Fields(s): Ethics, Law
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