The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has released its opinion on data processing for AI model training, designated as Opinion 28/2024. Following this development, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe) responded with a statement addressing the implications of the EDPB's position.

Claudia Canelles Quaroni, Senior Policy Manager at CCIA Europe, expressed that the EDPB's confirmation of "legitimate interest" as a lawful basis for processing personal data in AI model development and deployment represents an important advancement towards achieving more legal certainty.

Canelles Quaroni emphasized the significance of being able to properly train AI models using personal data. She noted that access to quality data is crucial to ensure accuracy in AI outputs, mitigate biases, and reflect the diversity within European society.

Despite this progress, Canelles Quaroni pointed out that greater legal clarity and a practical framework are necessary to align EU privacy principles with technological advancements. She warned that without these measures, Europe risks falling behind in competitiveness and missing out on innovations driven by AI and data.

She further highlighted that while the EDPB opinion offers some guidance, it leaves significant discretion to national data protection authorities (DPAs). To address this issue, she advocated for continuous dialogue between the EDPB, national DPAs, the digital sector, and other relevant stakeholders. Such collaboration is deemed essential to achieve proportionate and balanced interpretations of EU privacy law.