Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) published its initial recommendations for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems on June 7, 2024. These recommendations aim to help professionals in the AI field harmonize innovation with privacy rights, following a public consultation initiated in May 2023.

The CNIL emphasizes the necessity of aligning AI development with privacy protection to ensure ethical practices and adherence to European values, thereby fostering public trust in these technologies. The published guidelines address various aspects such as defining legal regimes, establishing purposes, classifying actors, determining legal bases, conducting data re-use checks, performing impact assessments, and integrating data protection into system design and data management.

Developed in consultation with AI stakeholders, the recommendations provide practical solutions and examples to navigate the legal and technical challenges of applying GDPR to AI. The consultation involved 43 contributions from diverse sectors, including for-profit organizations, non-profits, individuals, and public institutions, enriching the final recommendations with broad insights.

The CNIL will continue to build on these initial recommendations, releasing additional guidance on legitimate interest, rights management, and data subject information, with future consultations planned.