{"title":"EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION — THE REGULATORS' AI UNIVERSE","built":"2026-11-01 08:14 UTC","last_checked":"2026-10-28","checked_range":["2026-10-28","2026-10-28"],"as_of":"2026-10-28","buckets":[{"key":"unit","label":"Units and teams","color":"#8E2433","count":0},{"key":"system","label":"AI systems in use","color":"#1F2F4F","count":0},{"key":"prog","label":"Programmes and funds","color":"#2F5A45","count":1},{"key":"skills","label":"Skills and training","color":"#6E5716","count":0},{"key":"infra","label":"Compute and data infrastructure","color":"#54476E","count":0},{"key":"gov","label":"Governance and assurance","color":"#3E4555","count":0},{"key":"part","label":"Partnerships","color":"#5C5240","count":0},{"key":"rule","label":"Rules and law","color":"#A3394B","count":0},{"key":"reg","label":"Regulator actions","color":"#3D5A80","count":4}],"divisions":[{"key":"department-wide","label":"Department-wide","count":5,"depts":[{"dept":"Department-wide","count":5}]}],"colleges":[],"nodes":[{"id":"GOV-REG-074","name":"Guidance on AI and equality for public sector bodies (PSED)","type":"Regulator actions","category":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","affiliation":"Group page (sub-page per regulator)","status_group":"current","status":"current — 2024-09-12","function":"Guidance for bodies covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty: revised PSED and data protection guidance (including proxies for protected characteristics in AI), local authority case studies on commissioning and using AI, and a step-by-step equality impact guide for England.","composition":"","parent":"Cabinet Office","parent_research":"Cabinet Office","relationships":"","notes":"","checked":"2026-10-28","website":[],"sources":["https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/new-guidance-ai-and-equality-available-public-sector-bodies"],"source_quotes":[{"url":"https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/new-guidance-ai-and-equality-available-public-sector-bodies","quotes":["AI can perpetuate bias and discrimination when it's implemented poorly."],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""}],"bucket":"reg","depts":[{"dept":"Department-wide","div":"department-wide"}],"colleges":[],"directorate":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","previous_parent":null,"parent_changed":null,"head":"John Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive","established":"2024-09-12","location":null,"money":null,"supplier_id_guess":null,"system":null,"rule":{"kind":"guidance","stage":"published","stage_date":"2024-09-12","sponsor":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","applies_to":"public authorities in Great Britain subject to the PSED"},"topics":["public-sector adoption","regulation and standards","local services"],"confidence":"single_source","confidence_raw":"single_source","one_source":true,"as_of":"2026-10-28","rec_table":[],"ext_links":[],"link_texts":[{"kind":"related","target":"GOV-REG-077","ids":["GOV-REG-077"]}],"div_label":"Department-wide","degree":1,"related_ids":["GOV-REG-077"]},{"id":"GOV-REG-075","name":"Intervention in R (Thompson and Carlo) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (live facial recognition)","type":"Regulator actions","category":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","affiliation":"Group page (sub-page per regulator)","status_group":"current","status":"current — 2026-03-13","function":"EHRC intervention (written submissions) in a judicial review of the Metropolitan Police's live facial recognition policy, arguing it is incompatible with Articles 8, 10 and 11 ECHR. Permission granted August 2025; hearing 27–28 January 2026 in the Administrative Court; judgment not found.","composition":"","parent":"Cabinet Office","parent_research":"Cabinet Office","relationships":"","notes":"","checked":"2026-10-28","website":[],"sources":["https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/met-polices-use-facial-recognition-tech-must-comply-human-rights-law-says-regulator","https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/our-work/king-application-thompson-and-another-v-commissioner-police-metropolis-summary-our"],"source_quotes":[{"url":"https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/met-polices-use-facial-recognition-tech-must-comply-human-rights-law-says-regulator","quotes":["We believe that the Metropolitan Police's current policy falls short of this standard."],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""},{"url":"https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/our-work/king-application-thompson-and-another-v-commissioner-police-metropolis-summary-our","quotes":["clear rules which guarantee that LFRT is used in a way that is necessary, proportionate"],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""}],"bucket":"reg","depts":[{"dept":"Department-wide","div":"department-wide"}],"colleges":[],"directorate":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","previous_parent":null,"parent_changed":null,"head":"John Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive","established":"2025-08-20","location":null,"money":null,"supplier_id_guess":null,"system":null,"rule":{"kind":"enforcement","stage":"intervention made; judgment awaited (not found)","stage_date":"2026-01-27","sponsor":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","applies_to":"Metropolitan Police Service"},"topics":["policing and justice","regulation and standards"],"confidence":"verified","confidence_raw":"verified","one_source":false,"as_of":"2026-10-28","rec_table":[],"ext_links":[{"kind":"related","id":"GOV-REG-016","name":"Police facial recognition audit programme","page":"regulators/ico","href":"../../regulators/ico/#org=GOV-REG-016","page_label":"ICO / Information Commission"}],"link_texts":[{"kind":"related","target":"GOV-REG-016 (ICO police facial recognition audits)","ids":["GOV-REG-016"]}],"div_label":"Department-wide","degree":0,"related_ids":[]},{"id":"GOV-REG-076","name":"EHRC Strategic Plan 2025–2028 (AI items)","type":"Regulator actions","category":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","affiliation":"Group page (sub-page per regulator)","status_group":"current","status":"current — 2025-03-26","function":"Three-year plan laid before Parliament. AI items: ensuring AI does not lead to race discrimination, and exploring responsible use of AI to improve the EHRC's own efficiency.","composition":"","parent":"Cabinet Office","parent_research":"Cabinet Office","relationships":"","notes":"","checked":"2026-10-28","website":[],"sources":["https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/2025/Strategic%20Plan%202025-2028%20WEB%20-%20754.pdf","https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/equality-and-human-rights-commission"],"source_quotes":[{"url":"https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/2025/Strategic%20Plan%202025-2028%20WEB%20-%20754.pdf","quotes":["For example, we will explore how we might use AI responsibly to improve our own efficiency and effectiveness."],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""},{"url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/equality-and-human-rights-commission","quotes":["Equality and Human Rights Commission: Strategic plan 2025 to 2028"],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""}],"bucket":"reg","depts":[{"dept":"Department-wide","div":"department-wide"}],"colleges":[],"directorate":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","previous_parent":null,"parent_changed":null,"head":"Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chairwoman (foreword)","established":"2025-03-26","location":null,"money":null,"supplier_id_guess":null,"system":null,"rule":{"kind":"strategy","stage":"published","stage_date":"2025-03-26","sponsor":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","applies_to":"organisations subject to equality law; EHRC itself"},"topics":["regulation and standards","public-sector adoption"],"confidence":"verified","confidence_raw":"verified","one_source":false,"as_of":"2026-10-28","rec_table":[],"ext_links":[],"link_texts":[{"kind":"related","target":"GOV-REG-077","ids":["GOV-REG-077"]}],"div_label":"Department-wide","degree":1,"related_ids":["GOV-REG-077"]},{"id":"GOV-REG-077","name":"EHRC Business Plan 2024–2025: priority on regulating AI","type":"Regulator actions","category":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","affiliation":"Group page (sub-page per regulator)","status_group":"superseded","status":"superseded — 2025-03-26","function":"Priority 3, \"Regulating artificial intelligence and tackling digital exclusion\": AI in recruitment, bias in AI systems, police facial recognition, and strengthening the PSED in the use of AI. Notes the EHRC responded to the 2023 AI Regulation white paper.","composition":"","parent":"Cabinet Office","parent_research":"Cabinet Office","relationships":"","notes":"","checked":"2026-10-28","website":[],"sources":["https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/our-strategy/business-plan-2024-2025","https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/request-for-regulators-to-publish-an-update-on-their-strategic-approach-to-ai-secretary-of-state-letters"],"source_quotes":[{"url":"https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/our-strategy/business-plan-2024-2025","quotes":["Regulating artificial intelligence and tackling digital exclusion"],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""},{"url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/request-for-regulators-to-publish-an-update-on-their-strategic-approach-to-ai-secretary-of-state-letters","quotes":["Equality and Human Rights Commission"],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""}],"bucket":"reg","depts":[{"dept":"Department-wide","div":"department-wide"}],"colleges":[],"directorate":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","previous_parent":null,"parent_changed":null,"head":null,"established":"2024","location":null,"money":null,"supplier_id_guess":null,"system":null,"rule":{"kind":"strategy","stage":"published","stage_date":"2024","sponsor":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","applies_to":"employers; police; public bodies"},"topics":["regulation and standards","employment and the labour market","policing and justice"],"confidence":"verified","confidence_raw":"verified","one_source":false,"as_of":"2026-10-28","rec_table":[],"ext_links":[],"link_texts":[{"kind":"related","target":"GOV-REG-074","ids":["GOV-REG-074"]},{"kind":"related","target":"GOV-REG-078","ids":["GOV-REG-078"]}],"div_label":"Department-wide","degree":3,"related_ids":["GOV-REG-074","GOV-REG-076","GOV-REG-078"]},{"id":"GOV-REG-078","name":"Fairness Innovation Challenge (with DSIT, CDEI and ICO)","type":"Programmes and funds","category":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","affiliation":"Group page (sub-page per regulator)","status_group":"closed","status":"closed — 2024-01-30","function":"Challenge funding up to three UK solutions to bias and discrimination in AI systems, delivered by CDEI with the ICO and EHRC giving regulatory input. Up to £400,000 in total, at most £130,000 per bid; submissions closed 13 December 2023; winners notified 30 January 2024.","composition":"","parent":"DSIT / Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (lead); EHRC and ICO as partners","parent_research":"DSIT / Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (lead); EHRC and ICO as partners","relationships":"","notes":"","checked":"2026-10-28","website":[],"sources":["https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-innovation-challenge-launched-to-tackle-bias-in-ai-systems","https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/our-strategy/business-plan-2024-2025"],"source_quotes":[{"url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-innovation-challenge-launched-to-tackle-bias-in-ai-systems","quotes":["closes for submissions at 11am on Wednesday 13th December"],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""},{"url":"https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/our-strategy/business-plan-2024-2025","quotes":["the fairness innovation challenge to develop tools for tackling algorithmic bias and discrimination."],"accessed":"2026-10-28","secondary":false,"raw":""}],"bucket":"prog","depts":[{"dept":"Department-wide","div":"department-wide"}],"colleges":[],"directorate":"Equality and Human Rights Commission","previous_parent":null,"parent_changed":null,"head":null,"established":"2023-10-16","location":null,"money":"grant_scheme: up to 400,000 GBP, 2023-24, announced","supplier_id_guess":null,"system":null,"rule":null,"topics":["regulation and standards","data"],"confidence":"verified","confidence_raw":"verified","one_source":false,"as_of":"2026-10-28","rec_table":[],"ext_links":[],"link_texts":[{"kind":"partner_of","target":"ICO","ids":[]},{"kind":"partner_of","target":"CDEI (now Responsible Technology Adoption Unit [not confirmed in session])","ids":[]}],"div_label":"Department-wide","degree":1,"related_ids":["GOV-REG-077"]}],"links":[{"source":"GOV-REG-074","target":"GOV-REG-077","kind":"related","evidence":"GOV-REG-074 links: related → GOV-REG-077"},{"source":"GOV-REG-076","target":"GOV-REG-077","kind":"related","evidence":"GOV-REG-076 links: related → GOV-REG-077"},{"source":"GOV-REG-077","target":"GOV-REG-078","kind":"related","evidence":"GOV-REG-077 links: related → GOV-REG-078"}],"placement_method":{"root":5}}