Title: Ethical Challenges of Artificial Intelligence and Data Privacy in the Digital Age
Authors: Virendra Tank, Assistant Professor, Shri Mahaveer College, Jaipur, Rajasthan (India)
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
Pages: 17-19
Publication Date: 2026/06/28
Abstract:
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are transforming every dimension of modern life by enabling large-scale collection, analysis, and exploitation of personal data. This paper critically examines the ethical challenges arising at the intersection of AI and data privacy. Drawing on deontological, utilitarian, and virtue-ethics frameworks, it analyses key concerns including informed consent, AI-driven surveillance, algorithmic bias, and the opacity of automated decision-making. The paper evaluates landmark regulatory responses - the EU GDPR and the EU AI Act (2024) - identifies persisting ethical deficits, and proposes a rights-based, accountability-centered governance framework. The study concludes that protecting data privacy in the age of AI demands not only stronger regulation but a fundamental reorientation of the values embedded in AI design and deployment.