UK seeks evidence on data rules for AI

The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published the AI Call for Evidence on July 15, 2026, seeking practical examples of how personal and non-personal data regulation interacts with AI and other data-intensive technologies, including distributed databases and stream processing technologies. The process is open until September 9, 2026.

DSIT wants evidence on how legal, technical and governance frameworks can better support data use and re-use, while identifying friction between regulatory requirements and operational practice. Submissions are sought from organizations and individuals with practical experience of AI or data-intensive technologies, as well as researchers, civil society groups and academics.

The consultation is organized around five themes: accessing and using data, data quality and downstream impacts, governance across organizations, transparency and rights in complex data environments, and the effectiveness of data frameworks in regulating AI. The government plans to use the evidence to decide whether further guidance, targeted changes or more fundamental reform are needed to keep regulatory frameworks aligned with technological change while supporting innovation and growth.