AI personal shoppers could arrive within five years, ICO says

The UK Information Commissioner's Office says agentic AI could enable autonomous personal shopping assistants within five years and urges stronger data protection to keep personal information secure.

The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has warned that AI-powered personal shopping assistants could emerge within the next five years. The regulator's Tech Futures report spotlights "agentic AI," systems that can act autonomously and complete tasks without being prompted. The ICO described ways such agents might change consumer behaviour, including planning budgets, scheduling purchases and suggesting financing options. The report emphasises that rapid AI progress should not come at the expense of data privacy. Key points: - William Malcolm, the ICO's executive director of regulatory risk and innovation, said agentic AI will have the capacity to make decisions and take actions independently. - The report suggests agentic AI could anticipate shopping needs, plan monthly budgets, schedule purchases around sales events, and present tailored financing options for users to approve. - The ICO warned that strong data protection foundations are needed to ensure personal information is secure and well managed. - The Tech Futures report says compliance with data protection standards could be a "market differentiator" for companies deploying AI agents. - The watchdog said it will continue to monitor AI developments into 2026 and work with developers to clarify legal obligations. Summary: The ICO says agentic AI could change how people shop and handle some financial decisions by acting autonomously, with such tools possibly appearing within five years. It emphasises that strong data protection is needed to build public trust. The regulator plans to monitor developments and engage with AI developers on legal requirements going into 2026.