Denmark Plans Broad AI Data Powers for Public Bodies

The Danish Government is preparing legislation that would give public bodies a general legal basis to process personal data with AI, according to Computer Weekly. The bill would permit authorities to build and train AI systems, profile people and use the systems when providing public services required by law.

The proposal follows a 2023 decision involving Copenhagen municipality. Denmark's data protection authority found that existing law allowed the municipality to use personal data to train an AI system for assessing physiotherapy needs, but did not provide a legal basis to deploy the system.

The bill would allow some personal data collected for one purpose to be reused for another. Ministers and public bodies would still need to justify restrictions on data subject rights under GDPR, show that processing is necessary and proportionate, and introduce safeguards against abuse.

Denmark's data protection authority said the revised proposal did not adequately justify several possible restrictions on privacy rights. Digital rights group IT Politisk Forening also argued that the bill grants public authorities powers that are too broad and lacks sufficient limits and safeguards.