Europe Moves to Open Your Data to AI Training

On Wednesday, EU member states agreed how they want to rewrite the GDPR for the AI age. Your data is the bargaining chip.

The change, part of the "Digital Omnibus", would let companies use personal data "in the context of AI" by default - no consent needed. Under the proposed Article 88bis, AI training counts as a "legitimate interest", with a right to opt out.

Two readings of the same text:

• The European Commission: simplification that keeps a high level of protection.
• Privacy group noyb: "digital expropriation" - decades of posts, photos and records becoming free training data.

It is not law yet. The European Parliament still has to agree, and privacy groups are already talking about court challenges.

Why a UK business should care anyway:

• You sell to Europeans. EU GDPR follows their data, wherever you are. If this passes, their data can lawfully train AI models - expect customers to ask what you do with it.
• Your own data is in scope too. noyb's warning: under this rule, years of business email and files sitting on big platforms could become training data by default.
• Free AI tools are the trade. Anything you paste into them can travel. Keep client data out of tools you do not control.

When the rules loosen, your own standards are what remain.

If you want a clear data policy for the AI tools you use, we can help.

Klaud Team