MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Category · 05.05.00
Privacy
Description
Generative AI systems, similar to traditional machine learning methods, are considered a threat to privacy and data protection norms. A major concern is the intended extraction or inadvertent leakage of sensitive or private information from LLMs. To mitigate this risk, strategies such as sanitizing training data to remove sensitive information or employing synthetic data for training are proposed.
From Mapping the Ethics of Generative AI: A Comprehensive Scoping Review (Hagendorff2024), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).
Classification
- Domain
- 2. Privacy & Security
- Subdomain
- 2.1 Compromise of privacy by obtaining, leaking or correctly inferring sensitive information
- Causal entity
- Other
- Intent
- Other
- Timing
- Other
Subdomain definition: AI systems that memorize and leak sensitive personal data or infer private information about individuals without their consent. Unexpected or unauthorized sharing of data and information can compromise user expectation of privacy, assist identity theft, or loss of confidential intellectual property.
Real-world incidents in this subdomain
- Meta AI Smart Glasses Reportedly Routed Intimate Imagery to Reviewers at Kenyan Contractor Sama Before Meta Ended Contract
- Grok Reportedly Disclosed Adult Performer Siri Dahl's Legal Name and Birthdate, Allegedly Contributing to Doxxing and Harassment
- NPR Host David Greene Alleged Google's NotebookLM Replicated His Voice Without Consent, Prompting Lawsuit
- Border Patrol Agent Allegedly Claimed Facial Recognition Identified Minneapolis ICE Observer and Global Entry Was Reportedly Revoked Three Days Later
- Perplexity AI Reportedly Accused in Federal Lawsuit of Purported Copyright Infringement and False Attribution of Chicago Tribune Content
- Secret Desires AI Platform Reportedly Exposed Nearly Two Million Sensitive Images in Cloud Storage Leak