Overview
- Netherlands’ data and consumer watchdogs AP and ACM said they will step up oversight after a rise in complaints about unhelpful chatbots and endless loops that prevent reaching staff.
- They cite the EU Digital Services Act, which gives users the right to choose a communication channel that is not fully automated.
- They point to the EU AI Act taking effect next year, which will require companies to disclose when people are interacting with automated systems, and they asked the European Commission for clearer chatbot design rules.
- The regulators warn of privacy risks because bots learn from customer data, and they note that older people and those with limited language skills are especially likely to get stuck.
- ACM says firms that fail to provide transparency or access to a human may face sanctions, including fines, while industry group KSF supports the stance and urges strategic, not purely cost-driven, use of AI.