Alphabet’s artificial intelligence outfit, DeepMind, plans to build a blockchain-style system that will carefully track how every shred of patient data is used. The company, which is rapidly expanding its health-care initiatives, has announced that it will build a tool that it calls Verifiable Data Audit during the course of this year. The idea: allow hospitals, and potentially even patients, to see exactly who is using health-care records, and for what purpose. By logging how every piece of patient data is used, the company hopes to leave behind an indelible audit trail.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT
For everyone concerned about privacy in the digital world, the mega digital record would provide visibility into what is currently a completely opaque process. But far more reaching is the possibility to extend this audit trail to all our personal data.