Why compliance can’t be an afterthought in the AI age

Marketers are racing to harness the power of AI to deliver deeper insights and more personalized customer experiences. But there’s a catch: AI is only as good as the data you give it. 

In today’s privacy-first world — where regulations are tightening and third-party cookies are vanishing — obtaining, storing and using customer data responsibly is more complex than ever.

And the stakes are high. 

Nearly half of U.S. states have enacted privacy laws with divergent consent standards. Some require opt-in, while others allow opt-out. This creates a fragmented compliance landscape that frustrates both businesses and consumers. 

Businesses are running afoul of regulations through confusion, carelessness and potential malice.  

A recent investigation uncovered at least 35 major data brokers using code to hide opt-out pages from search engines, while a Consumer Reports study found that many companies continue serving targeted ads even after opt-out requests. 

We’re seeing many examples of practices that erode consumer trust just as transparency and compliance are becoming business essentials.

And the trust gap is real: surveys this year show that 86% of U.S. consumers are more concerned about data privacy than the state of the economy. While people value the personalization and efficiency that AI can bring, more than half say they worry about AI mishandling their data. 

This tension between personalization and privacy sits at the center of modern marketing.

How can brands meet consumer expectations for transparency while delivering the rich, AI-powered experiences that drive growth? What tools and frameworks exist to turn policy into practice and build compliant, data-rich engagement strategies?

These are the questions marketing leaders will explore at the upcoming MarTech Conference, a free, online event on September 17. In one of six live panel discussions, industry experts will dig into:

• How to operationalize data governance and privacy policies.
• Evolving consumer expectations for consent in the age of AI.
• Strategies to balance compliance with personalization at scale.

Join MarTech contributor Melissa Reeve, co-founder of the Agile Marketing Alliance, as she moderates a panel discussion on “Navigating the chaos of consent, compliance and customer trust in an AI world.”

Panelists for this session include:

• Alex Cash, director of strategy for consent & preferences, OneTrust.
• Anthony Coppedge, agile marketing executive, Anthony Coppedge Consulting.
• Adam Eisler, legal counsel, IAB.

Register for free to join the conversation and equip your team for the data-driven future.