Can AI processing at the edge help maintain our privacy in smart homes, cities, and beyond?

The rapid progress in artificial intelligence, smart devices, and smart cities promises to revolutionise the way we work, live, and connect. However, recent scandals surrounding the handling of user data have prompted a wave of privacy concerns. The smarter a city gets, the more it can keep tabs on our every move. Likewise, with connected home devices and digital assistants picking up our daily activities and queries, the potential for privacy breaches are endless. Europe's pioneering General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) is one of several attempts by governments to mitigate widespread shortfalls in customer data protection, for both companies and governments. Other countries, and even US states like California, have followed.