Kevin Shepherdson, CEO and Founder, Straits Interactive
Many SMEs want to deploy Generative AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance productivity and value but are apprehensive about using them. They fear potential corporate data leaks and are concerned that unethical use of Generative AI might expose them to privacy, security, and ethical risks that overshadow potential benefits.
Singapore-based Straits Interactive found an opportunity here and created Capabara, an all-in-one data protection AI Assistant aiming to assist Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in their busy roles as demand for data privacy from organisations.
Capabara empowers SMEs to tap into generative AI’s potential in alignment with their digital transformation goals while ensuring ethical and responsible use. Can Capabara change the data protection landscape?
We spoke with Kevin Shepherdson, CEO and Founder of Straits Interactive, to learn more about the tool.
Below are the edited excerpts:
As the demand for DPOs increases in Asia, please discuss the role of these cyber-guardians in ensuring data privacy and security for organisations.
Everyone would agree that data has become an invaluable asset for organisations, regardless of size. In this context, the DPO emerges as the linchpin of a robust compliance framework, diligently protecting the privacy of sensitive information.
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This role has taken on greater significance given that nearly every ASEAN country now has its own data protection legislation. The rise of technologies like ChatGPT and generative AI introduces additional complexities in compliance, especially as many companies are integrating AI into their operations.
DPOs, aka cyber-guardians, need to consider AI’s risks and understand its influence over the entire lifecycle of business processes. Rather than solely aiming to mitigate these risks — which can lead to perceptions of DPOs as mere “show-stoppers ‘— they should also develop the competencies to assist business leaders in maximising data value through enhanced data governance.
What challenges do organisations commonly face when striving to become more data-compliant, and how does Capabara assist in overcoming these challenges?
Organisations often grapple with a multitude of challenges in their pursuit of enhanced data compliance. Key among these challenges are:
- Data security and privacy risks
- The complexities of ever-changing regulations
- A shortage of resources and expertise
- The constraints imposed by outdated legacy systems
Capabara’s AI DPO Assistant helps organisations overcome these challenges by offering a self-help tool that provides suggestions to address operational queries, offers information on regulatory mandates, and streamlines data governance processes.
As a result, employees have immediate access to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and are guided towards ethical data management practices across the organisation.
Automating repetitive tasks, such as responding to operational inquiries, empowers organisations to govern their data more effectively and deploy their resources more precisely.
Importantly, this service is intended to support the DPO and data governance teams, not to supplant them.
Could you elaborate on how technology, particularly AI, can alleviate data-heavy workloads for DPOs and streamline data protection processes?
To understand the benefits of AI for DPOs, we first need to examine the day-to-day responsibilities they manage across various departments. Organisations consistently collect, use, disclose, and store data throughout their business processes, always aiming to comply with regulations like the PDPA.
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A DPO’s time is devoted to addressing data protection inquiries and ensuring alignment with company policies and SOPs. This workload can be hefty for those juggling dual roles, attending to other responsibilities while conducting proactive risk assessments, such as data protection impact assessments. These are not only time-consuming, but they also tend to be applied inconsistently across different scenarios.
AI allows stakeholders to increase their knowledge and reduces the risks of inaccuracies or distortions.
In what ways has generative AI revolutionised the way businesses approach data protection and compliance?
Through Generative AI technology, Capabara exemplifies the potent convergence of data protection. Our aim with Capabara is simplification without compromising security. Think of it as a hyper-intelligent sidekick, always available, acting as a reliable, trusted advisor on data protection and company-specific data governance.
Generative AI brings significant transformative benefits to data protection and compliance, including automating repetitive tasks: rapid information retrieval, enhanced decision-making, adaptive learning and more.
Digital transformation is a buzzword for many businesses today. What are your top tips for organisations looking to undergo digital transformation securely while maintaining data privacy?
It’s important to remember that digital transformation is more than just a buzzword; it’s imperative for businesses in today’s competitive landscape.
Organisations seeking to navigate this transformation securely while prioritising data privacy should focus on the undeniable importance of data privacy and also roll out a data protection management programme.
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Balancing opportunities with challenges is also essential. While advancements like Generative AI present enormous business efficiency and innovation opportunities, they also introduce new challenges related to data protection and ethical AI use. Lastly, educating AI business professionals is vital, as is prioritising AI Governance.
Data breaches remain a significant concern. How does Capabara enhance data storage and security for organisations to prevent data breaches?
Firstly, organisations can leverage the Capabara AI DPO Assistant to assess potential risks in their business processes and receive tailored control recommendations. These suggested measures can be exported as a task list to our Capabara Capability Management system.
Here, organisations can document and track the controls they intend to implement as part of their risk management strategy, continually reviewing the implementation to ensure the controls’ adequacy and effectiveness.
Additionally, our platform offers a library of AI tools designed to support an organisation’s data protection management programme and offer guidance when responding to data breaches.
Furthermore, organisations can use our AI DPO Assistant to query our extensive database of past enforcement decisions. This provides valuable insights and learning opportunities before engaging external experts or consultants arises.
Looking ahead to 2024, what data protection trends do you believe businesses should be prepared for, and how can they stay ahead of emerging challenges?
We’ve identified five key data protection trends in 2024, including ongoing digital transformation. The continuous evolution of digital transformation will amplify privacy and security threats.
Escalating privacy breaches will also be something to watch out for; we anticipate a continued rise in privacy breaches, with enforcement measures extending beyond data security issues.
Other trends include noticeable shifts to data governance; as the demand for data protection expertise burgeons, we will see a shift from mere data protection to comprehensive data governance.
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Regulation of social media and surveillance: we foresee increased regulatory actions against the improper or unfair use of social media, surveillance, and children’s data in the next twelve months. We also believe AI Governance will take centre stage and that there will be a heightened focus on AI governance and ethics.
To navigate these challenges, companies must stay proactive, remain aware of evolving trends, and proactively govern their data. They will also have to update regulations and anticipate more stringent data protection regulations and requirements, especially around Generative AI. DPOs must keep up with these shifts, regularly updating their knowledge and skills.
Companies will also be required to establish AI Governance. Organisations that don’t implement an AI data governance framework in their digital transformation roadmaps will face considerable challenges. While it’s impractical to completely prohibit Generative AI in workplaces, training staff on its ethical use and continually revising data policies to address the dynamic AI landscape will be crucial.
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