Italian Watchdog Warns Users About Uploading Medical Data on Generative AI Platforms
The growing practice of uploading medical reports on generative AI platforms is an "alarming phenomenon" because it risks loss of control over people's sensitive health data and the provision of incorrect information to the public, Italian data protection authority (DPA) Garante said Wednesday.
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The DPA urged users to be careful when deciding whether to share health data with generative AI service providers and not to rely on their responses, which "should always be verified by a medical professional."
Users should also read platforms' privacy policies before uploading to ensure that they can determine when data and documents are deleted, the DPA added.
The agency pointed to the importance of guaranteeing qualified human intervention in the processing of health data through an AI system, as recognized by the EU AI Act. Such intervention is "essential" to prevent risks that could directly affect someone's health, it noted, adding that qualified human supervision, among other things, is critical at all stages of the life cycle of an AI system.