OPINION – Responsible AI is only as responsible as the data it learns from

This week, as we mark World Data Governance Day, it’s worth remembering that we are living through an era where machines learn from the traces we leave online and in shops – and then act on those learnings. That creates powerful possibilities, including genuinely helpful recommendations, faster service, and experiences that save time and money. But those possibilities depend on the foundation beneath them: the quality, fairness, and privacy of the data we feed into these systems.

That’s what data governance is all about, i.e., the rules, practices and care that determine how data is handled and for what purposes it can be used. Good data governance is not a back-office checklist; it’s the bedrock that supports ethical and reliable artificial intelligence.

Responsible AI starts with responsible data. If the data is incomplete, biased, or gathered without people’s consent, the AI built on it will reproduce flaws at scale, and this should matter to all of us as consumers. Imagine automated product suggestions that steer low-income households toward expensive options because the dataset over-represents higher income shoppers. Or imagine accessibility features that fail because training data wasn’t diverse enough and didn’t include people with certain disabilities.

These are not abstract risks; they affect daily life, wallets, and dignity. Conversely, high-quality, bias-aware, privacy-protected data helps create systems that respect people’s realities, make services safer, and deliver genuinely useful recommendations.

Consider a simple, everyday place: your shopping journey. When data about product returns, service calls, and customer feedback is accurately captured and treated with care, retailers can identify which products truly last, which instructions confuse people, and where spare parts are needed – and then act accordingly. That leads to fewer returns, less waste, and better value for customers. And overall, it makes people happy.

Ultimately, people don’t care about data governance for its own sake. They care about how it changes their day-to-day: Will I be shown choices that truly fit my needs? Will the recommendations I see reflect my real preferences and life circumstances? Will an AI assistant understand what I actually mean, or keep making the same mistakes? Good data governance centred on data quality answers those questions.

It ensures that data as the building blocks of AI is accurate, up-to-date, and representative. When done right, it leads to more relevant suggestions, fewer errors, and a digital experience that feels genuinely helpful. It means systems that adapt to real people, not ones that box them in with outdated or incorrect information.

Data governance shapes what we see, what offers we receive, and how our digital experiences treat us. It’s precisely this immediate, human impact that drove us as a company to be among the first to establish a digital ethics policy – and it’s why we remain deeply committed to a responsible approach to AI. But we also know this is a journey, and we’re continuously learning how to do better.

But much like a healthy democracy, every voice matters, and good governance ensures a fairer picture, which recognises diversity and one that protects personal dignity. For retailers, technologists and consumers alike, the challenge is clear, namely, to insist that the data behind our services is high-quality, non-biased, and privacy-respecting.

Let’s hold ourselves – as organisations and professionals – to a higher standard: to know our data, question its origins, and use it transparently. Because accountability doesn’t start with algorithms; it starts with us.

About Ingka Group 

With IKEA retail operations in 31 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents 87% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on Ingka.com.