The ICO is positioning data protection as a potential market differentiator for AI-enabled services and will monitor AI developments through 2026 to guide organisations on legal obligations and consumer data protection.

Strong data protection is essential as agentic AI becomes more common, ensuring personal information is secure, well-managed, and that public trust supports rapid AI adoption.

The ICO’s report underscores data security and governance as agentic commerce grows, urging policymakers and developers to prioritize privacy protections.

The report arrives amid broader AI scrutiny and safety concerns, reinforcing the need for governance as AI capabilities expand.

The discussion aligns with ongoing scrutiny of AI tools, including safety and content concerns surrounding Grok and similar systems.

The discourse on AI governance is intensified by warnings about safety and oversight from powerful tools, such as Elon Musk’s Grok.

The ICO warns that AI-powered personal shopping assistants, or agentic AI, could be in use within five years, capable of autonomous tasks like paying for goods, booking flights, and managing finances.

Agentic AI could anticipate shopping needs and plan monthly budgets, scheduling purchases around events like Black Friday and potentially extending to personalized financial decision-making.

Agents may even present financing options for user approval as part of personalized financial decision-making.