International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development

The rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies across social, economic, and governmental domains has intensified concerns regarding data privacy and individual autonomy. AI systems increasingly rely on large-scale personal and sensitive data, often processed through opaque algorithms that challenge traditional legal and ethical safeguards. Existing data protection regimes, while foundational, struggle to address the unique risks posed by automated inference, large-scale surveillance, and cross-border data flows. This article critically examines data privacy in AI systems from both regulatory and ethical perspectives. It analyzes major legal frameworks, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, alongside emerging global governance initiatives. Furthermore, the article explores ethical principles such as transparency, accountability, fairness, and human agency that extend beyond formal compliance. By synthesizing recent regulatory developments, enforcement cases, and ethical scholarship, this study highlights persistent gaps in current governance models and proposes policy-oriented recommendations for harmonizing innovation with privacy protection in AI ecosystems. Beyond legal compliance, the article situates privacy within a broader socio-technical ecosystem in which AI systems continuously generate, infer, and redistribute personal data. It emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary governance mechanisms that integrate legal safeguards, ethical design principles, and technical privacy-enhancing measures to address emerging risks in generative AI, biometric surveillance, and predictive analytics.

A.Juliya, E.Amal Suno, R.Tharshini, Mini,"Data Privacy in Artificial Intelligence Ecosystems: A Regulatory and Ethical Analysis" International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development, V9(2): Page(890-893) Mar-Apr 2026. ISSN: 2581-7175. www.ijsred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.