• The aim of the project is the responsible implementation and use of artificial intelligence in consumer protection.
• The project will last one year and will cover four thematic modules.
• To date, within the project framework a panel discussion on the challenges related to the use of AI and a webinar devoted to the practical use of AI by consumer protection authorities have been organized.

In response to the new opportunities and challenges brought by the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), UOKiK has launched a new project on AI in consumer protection as part of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN). UOKiK is leading the project together with AGCM – the Italian consumer protection authority. The aim of the initiative is to strengthen the competence of consumer protection authorities in the responsible and practical implementation and use of artificial intelligence, both as a tool to support law enforcement and as an area of new challenges for consumers.

The project is based on a two-pronged approach: 

• AI as an opportunity (Pillar I) – showing how technology can support public authorities in their activities, e.g. in the analysis of complaints, market monitoring and detection of abuses,
• AI as a risk (Pillar II) – devoted to phenomena such as algorithmic discrimination, manipulation of consumer decisions and lack of transparency of systems when this technology is used by businesses in a way that violates consumer interests.

The project’s working group is very large; apart from the leaders, it includes representatives of consumer agencies from thirteen countries, namely Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Eswatini, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Nigeria, Peru, Spain, Sweden, and COMESA – the Competition Commission, which brings together agencies from African countries. We are pleased with the strong interest in participating in the project. This shows that the topic of AI, its implementation, the challenges it poses and the risks it entails is highly relevant in many jurisdictions around the world.

The series comprises four thematic modules, which will be carried out by June 2026:

• Module 1: AI as a risk – consumer protection perspectives, which was delivered during a panel session at the ICPEN conference in October this year.
• Module 2: AI as a tool for consumer protection authorities – which included the webinar “How to implement AI in practice”. The webinar presented examples of the implementation of AI tools in various jurisdictions based on the document “AI checklist for consumer protection agencies deploying AI”, prepared by UOKiK and Defensoría del Consumidor (El Salvador) as part of the UNCTAD working group. The webinar was held on 12 November 2025 and its aim was to show, based on the experiences of agencies from El Salvador, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Thailand and Finland, that AI is not only a technology of the future, but also a tool that can already improve complaint analysis, detection of abuses, and data management. Promoting and expanding  the UNCTAD Checklist is one of the elements of the project under Pillar I.
• Module 3: How to work effectively with AI.
• Module 4: Scraping and market data collection & AI agents.

As part of further project activities, in March 2026, UOKiK will organise a conference on the implementation of artificial intelligence in public administration, with particular emphasis on research into dark patterns and the practical application of AI in enforcement proceedings. In addition, a separate session is planned during the ICPEN Best Practices Workshop event, focusing on scraping, market data collection, and artificial intelligence agents.