De-identification and privacy
Before business data goes to an AI lab, the people in it need to be protected. De-identification removes names, contact details and other identifiers so records can't be traced back to individuals. These guides cover how that works, where it can go wrong, and which kinds of data are off-limits.
Guides
Can a Healthcare Company Sell Its Data for AI? HIPAA Explained
HIPAA bars most sales of patient data, but a practice's operating records can be another matter. What the rules say, what's out and what can be licensed.
Read guide →How to Anonymize Data for AI: Methods, Limits and GDPR
To anonymize data for AI, remove or replace direct and indirect identifiers, use consistent placeholders and review by hand. Methods, limits and GDPR basics.
Read guide →AI Training Data: What It Is and Where It Comes From
AI training data is the text, code and records models learn from. See where it comes from, why rights checks matter, and whether your company's data counts.
Read guide →How to Sell Your Company's Data to AI Labs
Companies sell data to AI labs by licensing a de-identified copy. See the steps, rights checks, price drivers and what stays under your control.
Read guide →Key terms
- Anonymization
- Anonymization is processing data so the people it describes can no longer be identified by anyone using means reasonably likely to be used. Under GDPR and UK GDPR, truly anonymous data is no longer personal data. Pseudonymized data, where identities are only swapped for codes, still is.
- De-identification
- De-identification is any process that removes the link between data and the people it describes, limiting the risk of identifying anyone while keeping the data useful. The legal bar differs: HIPAA and California's CCPA each set their own test, and EU law treats pseudonymised data as still personal.
- PII (personally identifiable information)
- PII (personally identifiable information) is information that can identify a person, alone (like a name or email address) or combined with other linked data. US federal guidance uses "PII"; EU and UK law use "personal data" and California's CCPA uses "personal information," each with its own legal definition.