On January 24, 2025, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) published the letter it sent to the UK Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in response to their request for proposals to boost business confidence, improve the investment climate, and foster sustainable economic growth in the UK. In the letter, the ICO sets out its proposals for doing so, including:
- New rules for AI: The ICO recognizes that regulatory uncertainty can be a barrier to innovation, so it proposes a single set of rules for those developing or deploying AI products, supporting the UK government in legislating for such rules.
- New guidance on other emerging technologies: The ICO will support businesses and “innovators” by publishing innovation focused guidance in areas such as neurotech, cloud computing and Internet of Things devices.
- Reducing costs for small and medium-sized companies (“SMEs”): Focusing on the administrative burden that SMEs face when complying with a complex regulatory framework, the ICO commits to simplifying existing requirements and easing the burden of compliance, including by launching a Data Essentials training and assurance programme for SMEs during 2025/26.
- Sandboxes: The ICO will expand on its previous sandbox services by launching an “experimentation program” where companies will get a “time-limited derogation” from specific legal requirements, under the strict control of the ICO, to test new ideas. The ICO would support legislation from UK government in this area.
- Privacy-preserving digital advertising: The ICO recognizes the financial and societal benefits provided by the digital advertising economy but notes there are aspects of the regulatory landscape that businesses find difficult to navigate. The ICO wishes to help reduce the burdens for both businesses and customers related to digital advertising. To do so, the ICO, amongst other things, referred to its approach to regulating digital advertising as detailed in the 2025 Online Tracking Strategy (as discussed here).
- International transfers: Recognizing the importance of international transfers to the UK economy, the ICO will, amongst other things, publish new guidance to enable quicker and easier transfers of data, and work through international fora, such as G7, to build international agreement on increasing data transfer mechanisms.
- Promote information sharing between regulators: The ICO acknowledges that engaging with multiple regulators can be resource intensive, especially for SMEs. The ICO will work with the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum to simplify this process, and would encourage legislation to simplify information sharing between regulators.