Which component ensures that data used for AI is protected and accessible only to authorized users?

• A. Access controls
• B. Data quality
• C. Model evaluation
• D. Deployment monitoring

Answer: (A)

Access controls are the mechanism that ensures data used for AI is protected and accessible only to authorized users. They enforce who can view, modify, or use data by handling authentication (proving identity) and authorization (granting permissions), often through roles and the principle of least privilege. In AI contexts, this means safeguarding training data, model parameters, and outputs from unauthorized access, which is essential for privacy and security. This concept differs from data quality, which focuses on accuracy and completeness of data; model evaluation, which checks how well the model performs; and deployment monitoring, which tracks system behavior after deployment. By strictly controlling access, organizations reduce risk of data misuse or breaches and support compliance with privacy regulations.