The Sheffield Centre for International and European Law is pleased to invite Dr Joseph Savirimuthu from the University of Liverpool online, to the University of Sheffield. They will provide a lecture on Examining the Pro-Innovation Agenda for Article 22 UK GDPR Reform: Implications for Responsible AI Innovation in Healthcare, followed by a discussion and Q&A.

Date of event: Wednesday 8 November 2023

Event Time: 3.30 - 5 pm

Speaker: Dr Joseph Savirimuthu (University of Liverpool)

Event Location: Online event

• Online - Joining links will be sent the day before the event

Event abstract: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and machine learning (ML) processes in healthcare has raised legal and ethical tensions between realizing benefits and respecting patient rights with regard to the processing of their personal data. As the UK government pursues its pro-innovation policy agenda, Article 22 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has emerged as a focal point for enabling healthcare AI development and use. Article 22 governs solely automated individual decision-making that has legal or similar significant effects. However, reinterpreting Article 22 through a pro-innovation lens to stimulate innovation opportunities and investment may undermine rights to the protection of personal data and public trust. This article critically examines the implications of reforming Article 22 to promote healthcare AI innovation in the UK context. It proposes an analytical framework centered on five key questions to systematically evaluate this pro-innovation approach across three dimensions: institutional processes, priorities and values, and implications for patients. The five key questions will help elucidate conceptual tensions between innovation incentives and responsible governance principles like fairness, accountability and transparency. By scrutinizing what responsible innovation means when reforming Article 22 under policy pressures to accelerate AI uptake, this study intends to advance scholarly debate on governing healthcare AI. It also aims to provide policymakers, healthcare leaders, patient advocates and other stakeholders with evaluative tools to engage with the regulatory challenges in an ethically-attuned manner as the UK pursues aggressive economic growth policies premised on becoming a global hub for AI innovation and investment.