Who are we

Gry Hasselbalch is co-founder and Academic Director of DataEthics.eu. She is an author, prominent tech critic and scholar working on data/AI ethics and politics. Through two decades, she has influenced global discussions on AI and data governance in various positions with contributions in policy, academia, and public speaking.

She played a key role in the EU’s AI policy development as a member of the EU High-Level Expert Group on AI (2018-2020), contributing to the EU’s AI ethics guidelines and later supporting the EU’s international AI diplomacy as the Senior Key Expert and research lead for the EU’s International Outreach for a Human-Centric Approach to AI initiative overseeing research and international outreach on AI.

She has a PhD in data ethics and is a published author, with notable books such as Human Power – Seven Traits for the Politics of the AI Machine Age (forthcoming, Taylor & Francis), Data Ethics of Power – A Human Approach in the Big Data and AI Era (2021, Edward Elgar) and Data Ethics – The New Competitive Advantage (2016 with Pernille Tranberg).

She regularly speaks at major international forums and serves on various advisory groups.

Gry was a member of the Nordic Ethical AI Expert Group established in 2023 by Nordic Innovation, an organisation under the The Nordic Council of Ministers and The Nordic Council to develop a common vision and roadmap for ethical AI in the Nordic region. Furthermore, she was a member of the working group that developed and was implementing the EU-US Technology & Trade Council Joint Roadmap on Trustworthy AI and Risk Assessment. She is also a member of Bayer’s Bioethics Council on Human Health, focusing specifically on AI. Gry was for years a member of several working groups of IEEE Ethically Aligned Design Initiative on Autonomous Systems, e.g. as Vice Chair of P7006 on Personal AI Assistants.

Before her current roles, Gry spent a decade running the Danish Media Council’s national awareness center on youth online protection, education and empowerment, where she among others contributed to discussions at UN Internet Governance Fora (IGFs) and founded the Global Privacy as Innovation Network.

Birgitte is a co-founder of DataEthics and serves as chairperson. She is a lawyer specialized in fundamental rights and holds a Ph.D. in data protection and biometrics. Working in the intersection of fundamental rights and new technologies for three decades, she has been involved in research, advocacy and consultancy within public and private sector. She has contributed to numerous analyses and projects on the risks and consequences for citizens and society stemming from digitalization, surveillance, smart cities, biometrics, encryption, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Her ethical perspective is anchored in the primacy of the human being and has formed an integrated perspective of her work.

Birgitte is an author of several books and articles exploring the limits and challenges for privacy in the digital age, including Eksponeret (2018), Retten til respekt for privatliv (2016), Ensuring minority rights in a digitized and ‘liquid’ society (2006) and Dataetiske udfordringer ved automatiseret beslutningssøtte (2019). Her latest book is a handbook on data accountability that guides the practical implementation and maintenance of the GDPR (Håndbog i dataansvarlighed (2020). Together with Pernille Tranberg, she developed privacykompasset.dk for The Danish Business Authority (2016).

Birgitte served as the first chairperson of the Danish Council for Digital Security (2012-15) and contributed to putting information security and privacy as intertwined purposes on the agenda in Denmark. She continuously contributes to the public debate on privacy related issues through interviews and blogs, key notes and interventions on conferences, and is active in teaching and running workshops, seminars and networks. As a partner and co-owner of Carve Consulting, Birgitte advises companies, authorities and organizations on strategic planning and execution of privacy and data protection frameworks and processes, on business driven corporate social responsibility and transformation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals into business operations and development.