Agentic AI Risks User Privacy
Signal President Meredith Whittaker warned Friday that agentic AI could come with a risk to user privacy. Speaking onstage at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, she referred to the use of AI agents as “putting your brain in a jar,” and cautioned that this new paradigm of computing — where AI performs tasks on users’ behalf — has a “profound issue” with both privacy and security. Whittaker explained how AI agents would need access to users' web browsers, calendars, credit card information, and messaging apps to perform tasks.
- As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it's essential to consider the unintended consequences of relying on these technologies, particularly in terms of data collection and surveillance.
- How will the development of agentic AI be regulated to ensure that its benefits are realized while protecting users' fundamental right to privacy?