lot of the professionals surveyed by Deloitte flagged data privacy as their top concern when it comes to GenAI, while only 22% did in 2023.

The latest report from Deloitte has revealed a significant increase in concerns over data privacy in relation to generative AI. In 2023, only 22% of professionals ranked it among their top three concerns, but this year the figure has risen to 72%. This surge in concern highlights the growing awareness of the potential risks associated with GenAI.

The next highest ethical concerns related to GenAI were transparency and data provenance, with 47% and 40% of professionals ranking them in their top three this year. This indicates a growing interest in understanding how AI technology operates, particularly in regards to sensitive data. A recent study by HackerOne found that nearly half of security professionals believe AI is risky, with many seeing leaked training data as a major threat.

The survey results come from Deloitte’s 2024 “State of Ethics and Trust in Technology” report, which surveyed over 1,800 business and technical professionals worldwide about the ethical principles they apply to technologies, specifically GenAI. The report also found that 78% of business leaders ranked “safe and secure” as one of their top three ethical technology principles, marking a 37% increase from 2023. This further demonstrates the growing importance of data security in the minds of business leaders.

The increase in concerns over data privacy and security may be related to high-profile AI security incidents, such as the OpenAI ChatGPT bug that exposed personal data of subscribers, and the breach of an online forum used by OpenAI employees. These incidents have likely drawn more attention to the potential risks associated with AI technology.

The report also found that more personnel are using GenAI at work than last year, with 94% of professionals reporting that their companies have incorporated it into processes in some way. However, most indicated that it is still in the early stages of implementation.

Overall, the report highlights the need for specific ethical frameworks to guide the use of GenAI and ensure its positive impact. With the increasing adoption of AI technology, it is crucial for organizations to prioritize data privacy and security to maintain trust and ethical standards.