Privacy, Data Use & AI Governance

This page explains how we collect, use, protect, and govern data and AI systems in the Urban AI Innovation Challenge.

Each section is independently linkable to support transparency, auditability, and review.

These materials are provided for transparency and program governance purposes and do not constitute legal advice.

1. Privacy Policy

What we collect

We collect only information necessary to operate the program responsibly. This may include:

  • Information you provide during registration, participation, or communication
  • Technical metadata such as logs, device type, and basic usage patterns
  • Content you submit, including documents, prototypes, evaluations, and supporting materials

How we use information

We use collected information solely to:

  • Operate and administer the program
  • Provide mentoring, review, and support
  • Evaluate submissions and ensure program integrity
  • Maintain platform reliability, security, and abuse prevention

We do not sell personal data or use it for unrelated marketing purposes.

Your controls

Participants may:

  • Request access to or correction of their data
  • Request deletion of personal data where legally permissible
  • Opt out of non-essential communications

Requests can be made through the contact channels listed on this site.

2. Data Use & Retention

Data minimization

We collect and retain only the minimum data required for program operations, evaluation, safety, and accountability.

Retention periods

  • Operational data: retained only for the duration of the program or as required for administration
  • Evaluation artifacts: retained to support auditability, reproducibility, and learning
  • System logs: retained for security monitoring, incident response, and abuse prevention

Retention periods may vary based on legal or operational requirements.

Data sharing

Data may be shared with trusted partners strictly for purposes such as:

  • Mentoring and evaluation
  • Review and selection processes
  • Pilot consideration, where applicable

Data is not shared for unrelated commercial use.

3. Compliance

We align with applicable data protection and digital governance principles, including where relevant:

  • GDPR principles such as lawfulness, fairness, and transparency
  • India's DPDP framework, where applicable
  • Sector-specific expectations for civic, research, and public-interest programs

Your rights

Participants have the right to:

  • Understand how their data is used
  • Request corrections or raise concerns
  • Access clear escalation paths for disputes or complaints

4. Responsible AI Governance

Core principles

The program expects all AI-related work to align with the following principles:

  • Safety and harm prevention
  • Transparency of methods, assumptions, and limitations
  • Fairness and non-discrimination
  • Human oversight and accountability

Experimental nature

All submissions are considered experimental and non-production by default.

Any movement toward real-world deployment requires additional review, approvals, and safeguards beyond this program.

Participant expectations

Participants are expected to:

  • Document data sources and intended use
  • Describe model behavior, limitations, and uncertainties
  • Provide evaluation plans and risk assessments
  • Follow responsible practices during any pilot or demonstration activity

Last updated: January 2026