AI Policy

How French Connections HCB uses artificial intelligence in our relocation services — and your rights under the EU AI Act.

Last updated: 22nd July 2026  |  Compliant with EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689)

Our Commitment to Transparency

At French Connections HCB, I believe in being completely transparent about how I use technology to serve you. In compliance with the EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689), this page explains which AI tools I use, how they work, what role they play in my services, and what safeguards are in place to protect your interests.

I use AI as a tool to enhance my services — it never replaces the human expertise, personal relationships, and professional judgement that are at the heart of what I do. Every significant decision affecting your relocation is reviewed and approved by a qualified member of my team.

AI Systems I Use

Smart Assistant (Website Chatbot)

What it does: Answers general questions about moving to France — visas, healthcare, property, cost of living, and regions.

How it works: Uses a large language model (LLM) trained on publicly available information, supplemented with my curated relocation knowledge base.

Risk classification: Limited Risk (transparency obligations apply).

Human oversight: The assistant provides general information only. It cannot access your personal data, make decisions about your case, or commit to any service on my behalf.

Limitations: Responses may occasionally be inaccurate or outdated. Always verify critical information (especially visa rules and legal requirements) with my team or official sources.

Content Assistance

What it does: Assists in drafting educational content, email communications, and guide materials.

How it works: AI generates draft text which is then reviewed, fact-checked, and edited by my team before publication.

Risk classification: Limited Risk (content undergoes substantive human editorial review).

Human oversight: All published content is reviewed and approved by a qualified team member who holds editorial responsibility.

Region Matching & Recommendations

What it does: Suggests French regions based on your stated preferences (climate, budget, lifestyle).

How it works: Uses rule-based scoring algorithms (not machine learning) to match your answers to region profiles.

Risk classification: Minimal Risk (no AI model involved — deterministic logic only).

Human oversight: Results are informational suggestions only, not binding recommendations.

What AI Does NOT Do

I do not use AI for any of the following purposes:

  • Making decisions about your visa application, legal status, or eligibility
  • Accessing, processing, or making decisions about your personal documents
  • Determining pricing, eligibility for services, or credit decisions
  • Profiling, scoring, or categorising you based on personal characteristics
  • Emotion recognition, biometric identification, or behavioural manipulation
  • Replacing human consultation for your specific relocation case

Your Rights

Under the EU AI Act and GDPR, you have the following rights regarding AI systems:

Right to Know

You have the right to be informed when you are interacting with an AI system. I clearly label all AI interactions on this website.

Right to Human Contact

You can always request to speak with a human team member instead of using AI tools. Contact me directly via WhatsApp or email.

Right to Explanation

If any AI-assisted process affects a decision about your service, you have the right to understand how it works and to challenge the outcome.

Right to Opt Out

You may choose not to interact with AI-powered features. All core services are available through direct human consultation.

Data Processing by AI Systems

When you interact with the Smart Assistant chatbot:

  • Your messages are processed to generate responses and are not stored permanently unless you provide your email for follow-up.
  • Conversations are not used to train AI models.
  • No personal data from your chat is shared with third parties beyond the AI service provider processing the request.
  • The AI service provider processes data under a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with appropriate safeguards.

For full details on how I handle your personal data, please see my Privacy Policy.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions about how I use AI, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact me:

Richard Hammond — French Connections HCB

Email: richard@frenchconnectionshcb.com

WhatsApp: +44 7865 225550

NOTE: HCB Services Ltd (trading as French Connections HCB) | 39–40 St. James’s Place, London, England, SW1A 1NS | VAT No: GB401002977 | Company No: 13809512 | ICO Reg: C1969611