What if privacy teams could spend less time running assessments and more time shaping strategy?
That’s the question TrustWorks CEO Pádraig O’Leary explored in a recent episode of Masters of Privacy with host Sergio Maldonado.
🎧 Listen now:
Closing the “context gap” in privacy operations
As Pádraig explains, most privacy teams know what data exists in their organizations—but not why it exists. This missing context forces them into endless cycles of assessments (PIAs, TIAs, LRAs) just to collect information they should already have.
“Assessments have become a form of information seeking,” he says. “Privacy teams trigger them to extract the context they lack.”
At TrustWorks, the solution lies in leveraging AI to synthesize information across systems—data repositories, project management tools, vendor platforms—and deliver a unified, contextual view that helps privacy teams act faster and more confidently.
Beyond automation: building in know-how
In the conversation, Pádraig points out that governance challenges are not purely technical—they’re organizational. That’s why TrustWorks combines AI-driven automation with built-in regulatory know-how, learned from seeing the same operational hurdles play out across hundreds of customers.
“Software gives you speed. Know-how gives you confidence.”
This combination helps privacy teams move beyond reactive compliance and into strategic influence—embedding governance directly in developer workflows and day-to-day decision-making.
AI governance: from policy to operations
The discussion also explores how organizations are building their first AI governance programs. Many teams are still struggling to answer a simple question: How is our organization using AI?
Pádraig shares how TrustWorks helps customers automate AI use case discovery—analyzing vendors, internal documentation, and even code to identify AI integrations across the business.
He notes that 2024 marked the “Wild West” of AI adoption, with vendors marketing AI features before updating their privacy or compliance documentation. Now, he says, we’re entering a phase of maturity—where operational visibility and AI governance frameworks are finally catching up.
Key takeaways from the episode
- The privacy “context gap” drives over-reliance on assessments.
- AI can connect data across silos, reducing manual effort and improving insight.
- Governance success requires both automation and organizational know-how.
- AI governance is moving from theory to practice—but context remains key.
Listen to the full conversation with Pádraig O’Leary on Masters of Privacy:
🎧 Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcast
