As of January 21, new amendments have come into force in Uzbekistan, establishing strict liability measures for illegal actions involving personal data using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. According to this law, the processing and dissemination of citizens' personal information without their consent through AI systems, both online and in the media, will be subject to severe administrative sanctions.
The fines range from 50 to 100 basic calculation units, which is equivalent to amounts from 20.6 million to 41.2 million sums (approximately 1.7 to 3.4 thousand dollars). Additionally, offenders risk losing the equipment used to commit these actions.
The changes to the law "On Informatization" not only introduce liability for violations but also provide a clear definition of artificial intelligence. AI is now understood as a set of technologies capable of mimicking human intelligence, learning, and solving tasks similar to human cognitive work.
Particular attention in the reform is given to the prohibition of making critically important decisions solely based on algorithms. According to the new legislation, when it comes to fundamental human rights and freedoms, a decision generated by an AI system cannot be the sole basis for a conclusion — the final word remains with a human. These measures aim to protect citizens from potential errors and uncontrolled applications of modern technologies.
