THE RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN IN THE AGE OF AI: ADDRESSING DATA PRIVACY COMPLIANCE IN AI-INTEGRATED IT SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT

The Right to be Forgotten (RTBF) is an important right of data subjects enshrined in data privacy laws. However, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into different applications raises concerns about enforcement. AI-integrated systems collect and retain personal data for continuous improvement. This study analyzed provisions in the GDPR and Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and three decided cases. A structured questionnaire was circulated to gauge public awareness about data privacy laws and RTBF. The results showed that 75.2% of respondents are familiar with data privacy regulations, while 55% were familiar with the RTBF concept. 67% consider RTBF important, and 55.6% said obstacles include technical difficulties in tracking and deleting data across distributed systems; 56.5% says it is due to lack of clear regulations. The paper concluded that a combination of technical solutions, policies and awareness workshops can help to ensure data privacy compliance when implementing RTBF in AI-driven systems.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, AI-Integration, Data Privacy, Data Protection, Right to be Forgotten