The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published a new report exploring how agentic artificial intelligence (AI) could soon function as digital personal assistants or shopping agents.

According to the report, developments in AI mean that, potentially within the next five years, it could be used to make purchases, track sales, arrange financing agreements and negotiate prices with sellers.

As users interact with and train their AI-powered personal agents, these systems could start making decisions and taking independent actions, anticipating needs and even completing proactive purchases. These so-called ‘AI-gents’ would be capable of checking personal bank accounts, evaluating how a purchase fits within broader spending plans, and timing purchases to coincide with sales events.

The report notes that some experts believe agentic AI could become the cash cow that delivers a return on the investments made in generative AI in recent years. Certain analysts predict that AI—and agentic AI in particular—might have a greater impact on the global economy and financial systems than the internet. Others adopt a more cautious stance, suggesting that the potential and capabilities of agentic AI may be overstated.

The ICO has emphasised its concerns regarding the privacy and data protection challenges that agentic AI could create. The report also explores ways in which agentic AI could be used to support data protection, privacy and information rights.

While the report does not introduce new guidance or formal regulation, it provides insight into the ICO’s early thinking and understanding of these emerging technologies.

If agentic AI delivers on its potential and earns user trust, it could bring significant changes to the business landscape. The full report is available to read on the ICO’s website here.

See: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/01/ai-ll-get-that/