Regulation & Policy

ICO launches AI and biometrics strategy to safeguard data rights

Monday, 14 July 2025 10:45AM UTC

The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has unveiled a wide-ranging AI and biometrics strategy aimed at promoting responsible innovation while protecting individual data rights. Announced on 5 June 2025, the strategy focuses on technologies where public concern is high and regulatory clarity can have immediate impact.

Three core priorities underpin the strategy: ensuring transparency and explainability of AI systems, tackling bias and discrimination from flawed training data, and upholding robust rights and redress mechanisms. These measures are intended to guarantee that AI tools operate fairly and with safeguards that enable individuals to challenge decisions.

The ICO’s 2025/26 plan of action includes clear regulatory expectations and practical steps to help organisations deploy AI and automated decision-making (ADM) tools lawfully. A statutory code of practice on ADM and profiling is due by autumn 2025, offering guidance on bias, transparency and individual rights.

Central government and recruitment sectors will receive particular scrutiny, with the ICO pledging increased oversight of ADM use where decisions can affect access to services or employment. The watchdog will publish findings and hold organisations accountable where rights violations are identified.

Developers of AI foundation models are also on notice. The ICO expects them to safeguard personal data and minimise harm, with regulatory intervention planned where risks arise. In biometrics, the focus is on the police’s use of facial recognition technology (FRT), with upcoming guidance, audits and possible legal reform advice to ensure proportionate and rights-respecting use.

Emerging risks, such as agentic AI that infers personal traits or emotions, will also be monitored. The ICO plans to engage with industry, publish reports on accountability and maintain high standards for lawful deployment. The strategy reflects the ICO’s dual aim: to provide the regulatory certainty organisations need to innovate responsibly, and to build public trust as AI becomes more embedded in daily life.

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More on this

https://www.insideprivacy.com/artificial-intelligence/the-icos-ai-and-biometrics-strategy/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2025/06/information-commissioner-people-must-trust-their-data-is-protected-in-the-age-of-ai/ - On 5 June 2025, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) launched its AI and biometrics strategy, aiming to ensure organisations develop and deploy new technologies lawfully while protecting the public. The strategy focuses on areas with significant public concern, such as automated decision-making in recruitment and public services, facial recognition by police forces, and the development of AI foundation models. The ICO plans to provide guidance, conduct audits, and set clear expectations to safeguard personal information and promote responsible innovation.
https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/our-information/our-strategies-and-plans/artificial-intelligence-and-biometrics-strategy/our-plan-of-action - The ICO's AI and biometrics strategy outlines a plan of action for 2025/26, focusing on areas with high potential for public benefit and risk of harm. Key actions include consulting on updates to automated decision-making (ADM) and profiling guidance, developing a statutory code of practice on AI and ADM, supporting responsible use of ADM in central government, establishing expectations for ADM in recruitment, scrutinising foundation model developers, and ensuring the fair use of facial recognition technology by police forces.
https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366625476/UK-ICO-publishes-AI-and-biometrics-strategy - The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) and biometrics strategy, aiming to support innovation while protecting people's data rights. Published on 5 June 2025, the strategy focuses on technology use cases with significant public benefit and potential risks, including automated decision-making systems in recruitment and public services, facial recognition by police forces, and the development of AI foundation models. Specific actions include conducting audits, producing guidance, and setting clear expectations for responsible AI use.
https://www.biometricupdate.com/202506/new-ai-and-biometrics-strategy-launched-by-uk-ico - The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has launched a new AI and biometrics strategy to support further innovation while protecting the public from potential harms. The strategy establishes how the ICO will develop a statutory code of practice for organisations that develop or deploy AI and ensure that police use of facial recognition is fair and proportionate. It also sets expectations for using automated decision-making (ADM) systems and lays out the expectations for ensuring AI foundation models are developed lawfully.
https://identityweek.net/ico-launches-strategy-to-tackle-risks-of-ai-and-biometrics/ - The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has unveiled a wide-ranging AI and Biometrics Strategy aimed at managing the risks of emerging technologies while safeguarding individual rights. The plan responds to growing public concerns over artificial intelligence, particularly in police facial recognition and automated decision-making in recruitment and public services. Launched recently, the strategy outlines a proactive regulatory agenda focused on high-risk applications that deliver public benefits but carry significant ethical concerns. Key measures include a statutory code of practice for AI, audits of police use of facial recognition, and guidance on the use of personal data in training generative AI models.
https://www.computing.co.uk/news/2025/ai/ico-unveils-ai-and-biometric-regulation-plan - The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has released a comprehensive new strategy outlining how it will regulate AI and biometric technologies, focusing on high-risk use cases such as police facial recognition and automated decision-making (ADM) systems in public services and recruitment. Published last week, the AI and Biometrics Strategy aims to strike a balance between enabling innovation and safeguarding the rights of individuals. The ICO said it will prioritise oversight in areas where there is both significant potential for public benefit and heightened risk of harm.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is based on a press release from the ICO dated 5 June 2025, detailing their AI and biometrics strategy. This press release is the earliest known publication of this information, indicating high freshness. The content has not been republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The inclusion of updated data and specific dates justifies a higher freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative does not recycle older material.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The direct quotes from John Edwards, Dawn Butler MP, and Lord Clement-Jones CBE are unique to this press release, with no earlier matches found online. This suggests the content is potentially original or exclusive.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from the ICO, a reputable UK government organisation responsible for data protection and privacy. This lends high credibility to the information presented.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims made in the narrative align with the ICO's known focus areas, including AI and biometrics regulation. The specific actions outlined, such as developing a statutory code of practice and auditing police use of facial recognition, are consistent with the ICO's previous initiatives. The language and tone are formal and consistent with official communications from the ICO.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is a direct presentation of the ICO's AI and biometrics strategy, as detailed in their official press release dated 5 June 2025. It is original, sourced from a highly reliable organisation, and the claims made are plausible and consistent with the ICO's known activities. No issues with freshness, quotes, source reliability, or plausibility were identified.

Information Commissioner's Office
AI regulation
biometrics
data protection
algorithmic bias
facial recognition