n our rush to embrace artificial intelligence, we face an uncomfortable truth: the digital economy that enabled this revolution now threatens our democratic foundation. AI–powered misinformation tops global risk assessments. Job displacement looms over millions. Privacy erodes daily. And a fragmented regulatory landscape—with Europe favoring precaution, America prioritizing innovation, and China asserting state control—creates dangerous gaps in governance.
Yet amid these challenges emerges a radical solution hiding in plain sight: harnessing the power of your own data to unlock a new economic model for society.
The digital economy stands at a crossroads. The advertising–based model that built internet giants is faltering as privacy concerns mount and targeting becomes harder. Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature alone cost Meta $10 billion in 2022. This economic reality is forcing a rethinking of the fundamental market principle underpinning the internet: your data for our services.
The promise of personal data sovereignty
Personal data sovereignty tools enable individuals, not corporations, to control their digital footprint. Instead of your health app, bank, and email provider each storing separate information about you, imagine a secure vault you control. Services would request specific access to relevant data, under your terms, for limited periods.
This isn't mere theory. Tim Berners–Lee, who invented the web, leads the Solid project creating personal data "pods" that keep information independent from applications. Governments from Singapore to Finland are piloting similar initiatives. The EU's forthcoming Data Act will establish frameworks for user–controlled data sharing.
But ownership alone isn't enough. We need a "semantic layer"—structured context that helps AI systems understand data's meaning, relationships, and permitted uses. When your birthday is tagged with standardized metadata, any AI knows exactly what this represents and how it can be used. This combination—personal ownership with semantic context—creates a foundation for safer AI grounded in transparent, user–provided information.
The implications extend beyond privacy. Such a model could combat misinformation by enabling AI to trace claims to verified sources. It could reduce algorithmic bias by providing clearer context. And it could create new economic opportunities as people monetize their own data instead of surrendering value to platforms. It will also create jobs, with new demand for data integrity and accuracy workers to ensure provenance. This is one of the first emergent jobs to be created in the era of exponential automation.
For businesses, this shift presents both challenge and opportunity. Companies that partner with users rather than exploit them will build sustainable advantages. For governments, it necessitates rethinking regulatory frameworks to recognize data as a personal asset.
Most crucially, this approach returns agency to individuals in the AI age. Rather than being passive data sources or unwitting subjects of algorithmic decisions, people become active participants in a more equitable digital economy.
The technology exists. The policy momentum grows. What's needed now is collective will to reimagine our relationship with data. By empowering individuals as data stewards rather than data subjects, we can harness AI's benefits while mitigating its gravest risks.
The promise of this revolution needs a more human touch than ever.
a global affairs media network
How personal data sovereignty could save us from AI's darkest risks
Image by Towfiqu barbhuiya from Unsplash.
March 18, 2025
AI–driven misinformation and job displacement threaten democracy, while fragmented regulations leave gaps in governance. A radical solution lies in personal data sovereignty—allowing individuals to control and monetize their own data, writes Nikos Acuña.
I
n our rush to embrace artificial intelligence, we face an uncomfortable truth: the digital economy that enabled this revolution now threatens our democratic foundation. AI–powered misinformation tops global risk assessments. Job displacement looms over millions. Privacy erodes daily. And a fragmented regulatory landscape—with Europe favoring precaution, America prioritizing innovation, and China asserting state control—creates dangerous gaps in governance.
Yet amid these challenges emerges a radical solution hiding in plain sight: harnessing the power of your own data to unlock a new economic model for society.
The digital economy stands at a crossroads. The advertising–based model that built internet giants is faltering as privacy concerns mount and targeting becomes harder. Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature alone cost Meta $10 billion in 2022. This economic reality is forcing a rethinking of the fundamental market principle underpinning the internet: your data for our services.
The promise of personal data sovereignty
Personal data sovereignty tools enable individuals, not corporations, to control their digital footprint. Instead of your health app, bank, and email provider each storing separate information about you, imagine a secure vault you control. Services would request specific access to relevant data, under your terms, for limited periods.
This isn't mere theory. Tim Berners–Lee, who invented the web, leads the Solid project creating personal data "pods" that keep information independent from applications. Governments from Singapore to Finland are piloting similar initiatives. The EU's forthcoming Data Act will establish frameworks for user–controlled data sharing.
But ownership alone isn't enough. We need a "semantic layer"—structured context that helps AI systems understand data's meaning, relationships, and permitted uses. When your birthday is tagged with standardized metadata, any AI knows exactly what this represents and how it can be used. This combination—personal ownership with semantic context—creates a foundation for safer AI grounded in transparent, user–provided information.
The implications extend beyond privacy. Such a model could combat misinformation by enabling AI to trace claims to verified sources. It could reduce algorithmic bias by providing clearer context. And it could create new economic opportunities as people monetize their own data instead of surrendering value to platforms. It will also create jobs, with new demand for data integrity and accuracy workers to ensure provenance. This is one of the first emergent jobs to be created in the era of exponential automation.
For businesses, this shift presents both challenge and opportunity. Companies that partner with users rather than exploit them will build sustainable advantages. For governments, it necessitates rethinking regulatory frameworks to recognize data as a personal asset.
Most crucially, this approach returns agency to individuals in the AI age. Rather than being passive data sources or unwitting subjects of algorithmic decisions, people become active participants in a more equitable digital economy.
The technology exists. The policy momentum grows. What's needed now is collective will to reimagine our relationship with data. By empowering individuals as data stewards rather than data subjects, we can harness AI's benefits while mitigating its gravest risks.
The promise of this revolution needs a more human touch than ever.
