'Datafied': How data and AI policy will impact all areas of progressive action, and what civil society can do about it

Almost every modern policy reform relies on new data systems, and increasingly involves technologies labelled as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make and shape decisions. Whether that’s education, health, benefits, housing, social care, work, policing, democratic engagement or a multitude of other areas.

How that data flows, and how AI is used, is determined by data policy. Right now the UK government is debating controversial reforms to GDPR reducing citizens’ data rights, affecting areas such as Subject Access Requests, Impact Assessments, human oversight of automated decisions and as well as much more.

The government is also opting for a hands off approach to AI, with few new resources or powers planned to enable a robust regulatory regime.

At the same time AI is being promoted as a ‘wonder’ solution to many public and private sector challenges - often driven by the interests of Big Tech. Yet the devastating Australian Robodebt or Dutch social security scandals show how badly this can go wrong.

We hosted a free online session targeted at people working in a range of civil society and campaigning organisations who want to better understand how data and AI may affect their area of focus and the communities they work with.

Outcomes from the session

• Collaborative notes of the session including breakout spaces
• Attendees slide deck
• Miro board
• Information about our new project to support campaigns and activities around the impact of AI and data driven systems on communities. Check this out if you would like some advice and some starter funding (expressions of interest due by 11 March 2024).