GDPR Compliance

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a European Union regulation that governs how organizations collect, store, process, and share personal data of individuals within the EU and European Economic Area. It is one of the most comprehensive data privacy frameworks in the world, carrying significant penalties for non-compliance -- up to four percent of annual global revenue or 20 million euros, whichever is higher.

How It Works

GDPR is built on several core principles. Lawful basis and consent requires that you have a valid legal reason to process personal data, and in many cases must obtain explicit, informed consent from users before collecting their information. Data minimization demands that you only collect data that is strictly necessary for the stated purpose. Right to erasure (the "right to be forgotten") gives individuals the power to request deletion of their personal data. Data portability ensures users can obtain their data in a structured, machine-readable format and transfer it to another service. Breach notification mandates that data controllers report qualifying breaches to supervisory authorities within 72 hours.

Hosting location plays a critical role in GDPR compliance. Data processed or stored within the EU benefits from clear jurisdictional alignment. When data is transferred outside the EU, additional safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions are required. Many cloud hosting providers offer EU-region deployments specifically to address data residency requirements.

Why It Matters

AI assistants process user conversations that frequently contain personal data -- names, email addresses, project details, internal business context, and sometimes sensitive information shared in the course of natural dialogue. Every message sent to and from the assistant is potentially subject to GDPR if any participant is an EU resident. This means the hosting platform, the AI model provider, and any intermediary services involved in processing those conversations must all operate within GDPR requirements. Choosing a hosting approach that supports EU data residency, encrypted transport via TLS, access controls through proper authentication, and clear data retention policies is essential for running an AI assistant that respects user privacy and meets regulatory obligations.