AI in the Privacy Office: How Data Protection Officers Are Being Re-Engineered

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the role of the data protection officer, shifting the function from a traditional compliance gatekeeper to a strategic governance partner. As AI becomes embedded across business operations, DPOs must evolve their skill sets, deepen cross-functional collaboration and rethink how they maintain independence while engaging more directly in company decision-making.

At the same time, DPOs are navigating an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, particularly at the intersection of the GDPR and the EU AI Act. With forthcoming guidance expected from regulators on how these frameworks interact, companies must begin building a joined-up compliance approach that addresses overlapping obligations, competing requirements and areas of regulatory ambiguity.

This session will also explore how AI can be used within the privacy function itself—from drafting DPIAs to supporting breach triage—through a practical, practitioner-led lens. It will examine where AI tools can drive meaningful efficiency and insight and where human judgment remains essential.

Finally, the session will address governance and accountability in AI-enabled privacy workflows, focusing on how companies can clearly assign ownership, maintain auditability and ensure that human oversight remains credible and demonstrable. Attendees will gain practical strategies for adapting policies, audits and training programs, as well as building the documentation and controls needed to demonstrate responsible AI use to regulators and stakeholders alike.

What you will learn:

• How to navigate the GDPR and AI Act to build compliance that satisfies both regimes.
• How to reposition the DPO function in an AI-driven environment, including practical steps.
• What best practice looks like when using AI within the privacy function