The UK's data watchdog has predicted that AI-powered personal shopping assistants could arrive within the next five years. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued the forecast in its new Tech Futures report, while warning that rapid artificial intelligence advancements must not compromise data privacy.
The ICO's report focuses on "agentic AI" - artificial intelligence that acts autonomously and completes tasks without being prompted. William Malcolm, executive director of regulatory risk and innovation at the ICO, explained the technology's potential scope: «Our own personal AI agents could be paying for goods, booking flights and helping with household finances.»
Such AI systems could plan monthly shopping budgets, schedule purchases around seasonal sales like Black Friday, and even present tailored financing options for user approval. Malcolm emphasized the autonomous nature of these tools: «Agentic AI will have the capacity to make decisions and take actions independently.»
Data protection concerns
The ICO stressed that strong data protection will be essential as agentic AI becomes more common. Malcolm said «personal information is secure and well-managed» must be guaranteed. The watchdog believes compliance with data protection standards can serve as a «market differentiator» for companies deploying AI agents.
The warning comes amid growing scrutiny of AI tools, exemplified by recent criticism of Elon Musk's Grok chatbot for generating indecent images. The ICO plans to closely monitor AI developments into 2026 and collaborate with developers to clarify their legal obligations.
Malcolm stated: «Strong data protection foundations can help build that public trust and help scale the fast and safe adoption of AI.» The organization aims to ensure innovation protects people's information rights while informing companies about sector trends and AI's potential impact on daily life.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
