Data Protection Director Advocates for Human Oversight of Agentic AI

Meritxell Borràs calls for a coordinated strategy on responsibility and transparency amidst the risks of artificial intelligence.

Generic image of a human hand interacting with an abstract representation of artificial intelligence.
AI

Generic image of a human hand interacting with an abstract representation of artificial intelligence.

The director of the Catalan Data Protection Authority, Meritxell Borràs i Solé, argued this Tuesday that a coordinated strategy for responsibility, governance, and transparency is necessary to address the risks of agentic AI, warning that these systems can make autonomous decisions affecting individuals.

During the AI Congress Barcelona, Borràs noted that agentic AI systems process personal data in various ways, amplifying risks to fundamental rights and reinforcing organizational obligations.
She emphasized that prevention and precaution should guide actions involving disruptive technologies. Proactive responsibility from organizations is crucial to ensure technology serves people.
Borràs advocated for implementing privacy by design and by default, alongside human supervision, recalling the right to not be subject to automated individual decisions and the possibility of requesting effective human intervention.
Regarding AI governance, she deemed it essential for AI system design and development teams to include experts in data protection and fundamental rights.
Finally, she highlighted the need to assess impacts on data protection and fundamental rights, praising the Catalan FRIA model promoted by APDCAT.
The AI Congress, held from October 20-22 in Barcelona, is an event by the Centre of Innovation for Data tech and Artificial Intelligence (CIDAI), coordinated by Eurecat, as part of the Catalan Government's Artificial Intelligence Strategy.
Based on information from the official source: APDCAT - Autoritat Catalana de Protecció de Dades (20/10/2026)