{"id":84746,"date":"2025-02-19T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=84746"},"modified":"2025-02-19T09:38:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T17:38:00","slug":"navigating-agentic-ai-regulation-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/navigating-agentic-ai-regulation-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Agentic AI’s Future: Balancing Innovation and Compliance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Concern over regulatory compliance jumped eight percentage points in a recent year-over-year study of Salesforce customers. And that\u2019s for good reason \u2014 the global regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving<\/a> to adjust as autonomous AI<\/a> becomes more ubiquitous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agentforce<\/a>, the agentic layer of the deeply unified Salesforce Platform<\/a>, empowers companies to innovate with AI while adhering to responsible and compliant practices. This complete AI system features embedded guardrails, transparency and controls, responsible<\/a> development, and flexibility to ensure that customers can stay ahead of changes as they roll in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Agentforce<\/a>, the agentic layer of the deeply unified Salesforce Platform<\/a>, empowers companies to innovate with AI while adhering to responsible and compliant practices.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here, Aliki Foinikopoulou, Senior Director of Global Public Policy for Salesforce, discusses the complex regulatory landscape surrounding AI, including how companies can balance AI innovation with responsible development, ensure trust and safety in AI applications, and the role of government regulation in shaping the future of AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What global regulations or policies are you expecting in the year ahead?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AI regulation fundamentals will remain the same, even as agentic AI becomes ubiquitous. Regulations are meant to be agile to technological advancements as innovation moves faster than lawmaking. Many jurisdictions are working on policies and regulations to ensure AI tools as a whole are safe and secure for their constituents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Privacy remains a key focus, though regulatory activity in this space has slowed. Policymakers recognize that effective AI requires strong data governance<\/a>, and we continue to push for robust policies that align AI regulation with data best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybersecurity and digital trade are also top of mind. With a new Administration in the United States, a new European Commission, and elections in several countries including Germany, France, and Canada, we anticipate continued regulatory shifts in the year ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At Salesforce, we\u2019re deeply engaged in these conversations happening across the globe, and are advocating for responsible AI and innovation<\/a>.<\/p>\nAliki Foinikopoulou, Senior Director of Global Public Policy for Salesforce<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

At Salesforce, we\u2019re deeply engaged in these conversations happening across the globe, and are advocating for responsible AI and innovation<\/a>. For example, we worked with EU policymakers in support of the EU AI Act<\/a>, and in 2024, signed on to Canada\u2019s AI voluntary Code of Conduct<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q. With AI regulations evolving rapidly across different regions, how should organizations approach navigating this complex landscape?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The fundamental principles remain the same, even as AI regulations evolve. Like any new technology, companies deploying AI agents<\/a> must first understand their intended use case, context, and potential risks \u2014 ensuring they mitigate harm and comply with relevant sector-specific regulations, such as those in healthcare or finance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies should start with strong guardrails: Are they sourcing technology from trusted providers? Do these solutions meet safety and certification standards? At its core, compliance aligns with broader consumer protection principles \u2014 ensuring AI is fair, unbiased, and does not pose harm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We mustn’t forget: AI regulation is ultimately about protecting end users, whether through data privacy measures, liability considerations, or intellectual property rights. While these issues are still being debated by governments, it’s in everyone\u2019s best interests to ensure customers and constituents are being protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q. What policy considerations should companies be aware of when deploying agentic AI?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Liability should be a primary consideration. The increasing use of autonomous agents prompts questions about who’s responsible if something goes wrong, how damages will be compensated, and where individuals can find answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other interesting point to consider is agents interacting with other agents. So we need to ask ourselves what rules, protocols, and standards need to be in place to facilitate agents talking to agents in a safe space. For example, if an agent from the U.S. talks to an agent in Japan and the regulatory regimes in these two countries are completely different, whose law governs the interaction? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another key policy consideration is defining the role of human oversight, especially in high-risk scenarios. Should there be mandatory handoffs to humans? At what point? This ties into a risk-based approach \u2014 different levels of AI autonomy require different levels of human involvement. Regulators will likely examine where and how humans fit into the AI decision-making process to ensure accountability and safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n