Digital Data Protection Bill 2023 and AI are Not at Cross Purposes: Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson and CEO, Salesforce

Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson and CEO, Salesforce interacted with the media at the Salesforce TrAIlblazers Together Event in Delhi. When Dataquest asked her if the recently passed Digital Data Protection Bill 2023 would be counterproductive  to all the work taking place on the Generative AI front, she responded saying that the Bill actually reiterates that trust that customers expect from organisations.

“One of the basic values that Salesforce has, the core value, which we believe, are trust, customer success, innovation, and quality and sustainability. Now if you're looking at trust, your DDPB is precisely that, data protection and data privacy. Salesforce embraces a core set of values, encompassing trust, customer success, innovation, and quality, along with sustainability. Among these values, trust is paramount, encompassing data protection and data privacy. The centrality of data protection and privacy is evident in our operations. We firmly hold the belief that these considerations do not hinder our capacity for innovation in any way. However, exercising caution is imperative. Particularly in the context of enterprise application versions, stringent adherence to data privacy and protection standards is mandatory. We cannot afford to create applications that compromise these principles. The repercussions for such oversights are severe, with potential penalties. Above all, our customers' trust is non-negotiable; its loss would be catastrophic,” said Bhattacharya.

She further went to add that: “Navigating cross-border intricacies is a challenge we acknowledge. Regulatory frameworks will inevitably emerge, shaping our actions in this sphere. While predicting the specifics is challenging at this juncture, the essence of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDDP) is something we wholeheartedly endorse. It represents a step towards the right direction. Our plan is to refine, formalize, and grasp the scope of these regulations before proceeding. Even in our current endeavors, such as the introduction of generative AI products, we integrate an 'Einstein GPT layer.' This layer ensures data protection by screening for bias, toxicity, liability, and other pertinent factors before any output is generated from the language model. Our approach is not merely about incorporating these measures for the sake of usability; a significant amount of deliberation underpins these implementations.”

She further emphasised that Salesforce would continue to be committed to data protection and privacy: “Anticipating that similar laws will materialize globally, not just within our jurisdiction, is a fundamental stance we hold. We firmly believe that these principles will find applicability worldwide. Our commitment to data protection and privacy is unwavering.”