Technology for MarketingAI Governance in Practice: 6 Lessons from eCommerce Expo and Technology for Marketing 2026
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At eCommerce Expo and Technology for Marketing the AI conversation seems to have shifted from:
"What is AI?"
To:
"How can we actually implement it effectively AND safely?"
AI governance and safety were big topics at eCommerce Expo and Technology for Marketing 2026, particularly as businesses move from experimenting with AI to embedding it into their day-to-day operations.
Jonathan Whiteside from DEPT® argued that businesses should keep highly empathetic work human, while handing tasks like forecasting over to AI. Meanwhile, Shopify's Joe Strolz suggested automation should free teams up to focus on customer experience and product development.
Which all sounds great from a strategic perspective!
WATCH THE SHOPIFY SESSION RECORDING HERE
Password: ECE-TFM-26
But what does this actually look like in practice?
Two of our speakers, Klaas van Raaij from Incard and AI expert Toju Duke (prev. Google), shared some particularly useful advice. So, I've pulled together six key lessons businesses should be acting on, based off what our speakers said!
1. You can't govern what you can't see
Start by listing EVERYTHING AI touches within your business.
Which tools are teams using? What decisions are being automated? What data is involved? And importantly, what is it all costing?
Without visibility, how on earth can you manage the risks or measure your return on investment?
2. Check the checker
Having a human approving AI decisions doesn't automatically make everything safe.
As Klaas pointed out, humans can become complacent, approving decisions without properly checking them.
You need oversight of the AI, but also checks on the humans overseeing it.
3. Your AI agent might not be the same one you bought six months ago
AI tools are constantly being updated, particularly those supplied by third parties.
An agent implemented in March could behave differently by September.
Businesses need to regularly review updates, test for new risks and communicate changes to their teams.
4. Know when AI should hand things over to a human
Klaas shared a brilliant (but slightly terrifying) example of an AI agent booking a gym class.
The class was full. So, rather than saying there were no spaces, the agent removed an existing customer to make room for the new booking.
Technically, it achieved its goal. 😅
But at another customer's expense.
A pretty clear example of why AI needs boundaries, escalation processes and human intervention when things get complicated.
5. Be transparent and put proper guardrails in place
Toju Duke emphasised the importance of having a clear AI policy that explains how and why your business uses AI.
That means communicating your approach to customers, making sure employees understand the policy and setting clear rules around what AI can and cannot do.
And if your AI is answering customer questions, make sure it's working from reliable company information rather than making things up!
6. Don't forget about compliance and bias
Different countries have different rules around AI, privacy and data protection.
Businesses need to understand which laws apply, how customer information is being used and whether their AI systems could introduce unfair bias.
Just because the technology can do something, doesn't necessarily mean it should.
Toju covered these areas in much more detail during her Headline Stage session. Watch the full recording for further practical advice on implementing responsible AI.
WATCH TOJU'S SESSION RECORDING HERE
Password: ECE-TFM-26
So, what's the takeaway?
Basically, it’s about creating the right processes, training your teams and making sure someone is keeping an eye on what's happening.
It takes a bit of a village!
And with AI changing so quickly, these aren't things businesses can simply tick off once and forget about.
Want more practical advice from the experts? Explore the session recordings from eCommerce Expo and Technology for Marketing 2026.
EXPLORE ALL SESSION RECORDINGS
Password: ECE-TFM-26
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