Consumer Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Breaking Down the Silo Mentality Between Consumer, Competition, and Data

Consumer protection calls for a broader conceptualization. Narrow views, where consumers are reduced to their economic interests, are no longer sustainable. Instead, they should be seen as consumer-citizens whose consumption choices have profound implications on society as a whole. In the face of artificial intelligence (AI) driven practices, the pursuit of a more holistic level of consumer protection therefore requires a combined approach; a defence in depth that hinges on reciprocal interactions between consumer law, competition law, and data protection law. The complementarity between each branch ensures that different aspects of consumer welfare - consumer autonomy, consumer choice, and the right to data protection - are adequately safeguarded. Doing so ensures that consumer protection is not only about empowering consumers, but also about building safer digital spaces and creating a level playing field for entrepreneurs where innovation can thrive.