Like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act could become a global standard, regarding safeguards, limitations and rights on the use of Artificial Intelligence.. In February 2024, the European Parliament endorsed the provisional agreement on the AI Act that ensures safety and complies with fundamental rights. Read the press release here.

As AI is being increasingly used in research projects, this new regulation might have implications for you as a researcher.

Policy

The UU now offers an extensive overview of guidelines for various target groups, see the UU intranet: https://www.uu.nl/en/organisation/ai-policy

In any case, the following general terms and conditions apply:

• The GDPR comes into effect when personal data is entered into an AI model. This may have consequences in particular when sensitive data is concerned, or when the storage of this data takes place outside the EU.
• According to UU’s Security Control Framework (SCF), it is not allowed to enter UU data into an AI if that data can (possibly) be used to train the underlying model.
• The SCF also requires that sensitive data is only stored within an environment managed by UU. In addition to certain personal data, sensitive data can also include research or company information.
• The UU has set FAIR use of data as its goal. Among other things, this places demands on transparency about obtaining data, which can clash with the use of an AI.

How to proceed when you want to use an AI tool

If you want to use AI in (research) projects, the way to proceed is:

• Always contact us first to coordinate things: informationsecurity-beta@uu.nl
  and have us help you out:
  • Carry out a data classification so that it becomes clear whether the use of AI is justified.
  • If you are working with personal data, also perform a privacy scan.
  • Document the choices made in the project to ensure secure use of AI.

Do not purchase a licence yourself, the UU Procurement Centre will arrange this for you (through us).
Licences that you have purchased yourself cannot be refunded.

Important things to consider

• It is possible that in the future there will still be a UU policy for the use of specific AI tools, whereby the use of such tools is no longer allowed at the UU. In that case, you will have to comply with this, so keep that in mind and make sure you have an exit strategy for yourself.
• Changes in the use of an AI tool may mean that you have to reconsider whether you still meet the conditions for use. The above terms and conditions may also be subject to change, as well as the terms of use of the AI tool. It is therefore wise to check regularly (for example annually) whether your use of an AI tool is still sufficient.
• Research funders may have policies for the use of AI within projects they fund. In other words, as far as UU is concerned, there does not have to be an objection to your use of an AI tool, but that limitation can certainly apply to your project budget. You will have to check this yourself with your funder (if there is one).
• Some publishers or journals will not allow you to have used AI in your research, or will impose additional conditions on (the publication of) the research. Make sure you inform yourself about this in good time.
• There are already several cases of AI tools that have made up sources, quotes, or results (‘hallucinating’). So while an AI tool can help determine the thoughts, it is also your responsibility as a researcher to check the claims or results of an AI tool for their validity.