Reimagining Privacy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Socio-Legal Analysis of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023

Author: Ganesh Shrirang NaleAffiliation: Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University Conference Souvenir, 2025Discipline: Law, Technology Law, Data Protection Law, Privacy Studies, Artificial Intelligence Governance Description:This paper provides a socio-legal analysis of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 in the context of India’s rapidly evolving artificial-intelligence-driven governance systems. It critically examines how AI technologies—particularly algorithmic decision-making, automated profiling, digital governance interfaces, and data-driven public administration—reshape the meaning of privacy and informational autonomy. The paper evaluates whether the DPDP Act adequately safeguards privacy rights in an era of pervasive AI integration, analyzing statutory design, constitutional principles under Articles 19 and 21, and evolving judicial standards following K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India. Further, it highlights ethical concerns, regulatory gaps, and socio-technical challenges that arise from AI-enabled state and private sector data practices. This interdisciplinary study situates the DPDP Act within global debates on AI regulation, privacy protection, algorithmic transparency, and digital rights. Publication Type: Conference Souvenir / Academic Publication Event: International Conference on “The Right to Information Act – 2005: Two Decades of Transparency and Democratic Accountability” Venue: Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow Dates: 15–16 November 2025 Publisher: Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU) Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India Page Reference: Abstract appears on page 31 of the souvenir