Why AI translation tools pose a data protection risk
Why is the topic of AI translation tools and data protection relevant right now? Imagine the following everyday situation, either in your private life or at work: Someone quickly copies a text into any translation tool such as Google Translator or ChatGPT, which is available online – without having thought about the fact that this text may contain confidential data. This data ends up uncontrolled on servers without us being aware of it. We now use AI translation tools with dangerous spontaneity and negligence. We sometimes deliberately ignore the data protection risks that we often overlook in the heat of the moment.
That is why at Consenso Global we’re becoming increasingly aware of how we can protect ourselves and our clients so that risks do not arise in the first place.
What exactly do AI translation tools actually do?
Modern AI translators are based on large language models and complex algorithms that constantly analyse texts. They recognise patterns and generate the corresponding translations. As today’s tools are predominantly cloud-based, the text is always transmitted to external servers. As a result, users do not know whether providers use customer-based data to improve their own models and where it ultimately ends up, how and for how long it is stored, who has access to it and how many have access to it.
Data protection risks
What does all this mean for the client? As soon as a text is uploaded, it leaves the company’s own internal system, which means that companies can lose control over who processes and stores the data. This is particularly critical when it comes to personal data, internal documents, legal contracts, medical content and customer data.
Once a text has been read into an AI translation tool , the AI tool can use it for its own training purposes. As a result, sensitive content ends up in unknown databases. Companies and their clients must bear in mind that even previously anonymised texts always harbour a residual risk.
AI providers are also attractive targets for cyberattacks that cause unimaginably dangerous data leaks. We’re talking about millions of sensitive texts in numerous languages.
Nevertheless, companies like Consenso Global have a responsibility towards their business partners.
Ultimately, we don’t even know whether the AI provider to whom we simply send our text is GDPR-compliant, whether the server is located inside or outside the EU, who assumes liability in the event of data loss or worse, which makes legal enforcement more difficult.
Consequences of AI risks
A quick click is all it takes for internal documents to be processed by algorithms whose functionality is still completely opaque.
A few practical examples to illustrate this:
- Companies translate internal financial documents -> highly confidential business figures and secrets are compromised
- The HR department translates applications or employment contracts -> personal data is sent directly to the cloud
- Legal departments translate client documents in a matter of minutes -> this is known to violate the lawyer’s duty of confidentiality
- Medical facilities translate patient files with sensitive information -> a patient’s medical history is quickly and carelessly disclosed
Just a few commonplace scenarios that illustrate the scope. KI tools thrive on the fact that any of us can translate a text into any language quickly, easily and free of charge. Free KI tools in particular are financed by our data, which we do not provide by payment, but with our valuable content.
Companies and their clients should never underestimate the value of their data – especially not the potential damage in the event of unlawful behaviour.
How companies can protect themselves against AI translation tools
Consenso Global has already implemented the following solutions in practice:
- The use of data protection-compliant AI tools (favour providers that guarantee that the data will not be used for training)
- Internal employee training (which content never belongs in KI tools and how to handle sensitive data successfully)
- Prioritise human translations over machine translations (human specialist translators work under strict confidentiality agreements and strictly regulated work processes)
- Technical measures (secure data transmission via encrypted servers, no long-term data storage, access controls)
Conclusion: AI translation tools are powerful, but unfortunately not harmless
Be it in our private lives or at work – to be honest, AI translation tools have become an integral part of our lives. They are practical, fast, simple and free. Simply impressive. Nevertheless, we at Consenso Global would like to point out that they can in no way replace the quality and reliability of established, human translation processes. A company must weigh up the decisive question in each individual case: Convenience vs. data protection.
Responsible, correct handling of AI translation tools not only protects sensitive data, but also the business trust that has been built up over the years.
