Artificial Intelligence is often painted as a looming threat to privacy. Scaremongering headlines suggest privacy professionals are becoming obsolete. Regulators are overwhelmed. And AI tools are supposedly making decisions that humans can’t understand or challenge.

But the truth is simpler and far less sinister: AI is not the enemy of privacy. It’s not even the problem. The real problem in most privacy failures? People.

Let’s be clear. AI is powerful. It can analyse huge amounts of data quickly, draw patterns we’d miss, and automate tasks that used to take hours. But it’s not malicious. It doesn’t wake up one day and decide to misuse someone’s data. That’s a human choice. Whether it’s poor data governance, cutting corners on consent, or simply misunderstanding what a system is doing – people are at the centre of it.

AI doesn’t violate privacy. People do.

Think about most privacy breaches. They happen because someone didn’t follow the process. Or because no one knew where the data was stored. Or because a product was launched without a DPIA. AI didn’t cause that. People did – by failing to embed privacy thinking into systems and culture.

That’s why blaming AI is a distraction. The real risk isn’t the technology. It’s how we use it.

And that’s also where the opportunity lies.

AI, used well, is a powerful ally to privacy teams. Instead of replacing privacy professionals, it can help them work faster, cover more ground, and uncover issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Imagine a tool that flags unusual data flows, or tools like Privacy Culture's Horizon, which helps build a ROPA in minutes rather than weeks. Picture automated risk scoring for third-party vendors, or summarised DSAR responses that don’t need hours of manual review. These aren’t science fiction. They’re here now.

This is what privacy-enhancing AI can do. And it frees up human time for the work only humans can do – advising, challenging, explaining, deciding.

So why do some privacy professionals feel under threat?

In most cases, it’s because AI feels unfamiliar. There’s a sense that “this is a technical thing” and therefore someone else’s job. That’s a mistake. When we step back from new tools, we leave the space open for others – often people without privacy expertise – to define how they’re used.

When IT owns AI governance, privacy gets reduced to a compliance checkbox. When marketing teams deploy chatbots, they often do so without a clear view of data retention or consent. That’s not their fault. It’s our absence.

If privacy teams avoid AI, they risk being sidelined. Not because AI replaced them, but because they opted out of the conversation.

There’s no reason for that. Privacy professionals are well equipped to lead on responsible AI use.

We understand risk. We understand accountability. We’ve dealt with tech evolution before – from cookie banners to consent frameworks, from data mapping to international transfers. This is just the next step.
And it’s a step we can take with confidence. Because AI needs governance. It needs context. It needs training. And it needs oversight.

It needs us.

Let’s not forget – AI has no ethics. It has no sense of right or wrong. It’s as biased or fair as the data we give it. As transparent or opaque as the systems we allow to run unchecked.
Privacy professionals are uniquely placed to ask the right questions.

• What’s the purpose of this processing?
• Is there a lawful basis?
• Are people’s rights respected?
• Can they opt out?
• Is the decision explainable?
• What’s the impact on vulnerable groups?

These aren’t technical questions. They’re human ones. And they are central to the future of trustworthy AI.

It’s also worth remembering that AI isn’t magic. It doesn’t understand context unless we teach it. It can’t spot regulatory nuance. It needs training, testing, and interpretation. That’s where privacy teams add value.
Used well, AI won’t remove privacy jobs. It will refocus them. Instead of trawling through spreadsheets or chasing policy reviews, privacy professionals can spend more time on strategy, influence, and culture.

That’s good for everyone.

There’s also a growing need for new skills in privacy teams – the ability to assess algorithmic risk, challenge developers, work with product teams, and shape AI governance frameworks. These are growth areas. Not threats.

So, here’s the reality: AI isn’t putting privacy roles at risk. Complacency is.

If we ignore these tools, we fall behind. If we embrace them, we lead.

Privacy is changing, yes. But it’s not disappearing. In fact, it’s never been more important. The rise of AI brings new challenges – but also new urgency.

People want to know how their data is used. They want fairness, transparency, and control. They want to trust the systems around them.

That trust won’t come from code alone. It comes from the people who shape and oversee the systems. It comes from privacy professionals.

So no, AI is not the bane of privacy. It’s a tool – one that, when wielded wisely, can help us do our jobs better, faster, and with more insight than ever before.

The real threat isn’t the machine. It’s forgetting that we still matter.