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    Artificial Intelligence Law

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Law

Technology - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Law - website - banner - image

Overview

Artificial intelligence (AI) law creates new opportunities and challenges traditional business models across many sectors. It is accelerating drug discovery, diagnosing disease, automating transport, reducing insurance costs, tailoring customer experiences and driving efficiencies across multiple sectors.

The strength of our UK AI team lies in our full-service approach. We draw on the experience of lawyers from across our many practice areas including corporate, commercial, competition law, cyber security, data protection, employment, intellectual property and product liability, pairing technically excellent legal advice with vast knowledge of AI-related matters.

What is AI?

There is no universally accepted definition of AI, but a reasonable summary is that it covers the automation of tasks that are generally considered to require intelligence. Much of AI's recent breakthroughs are in "machine learning", where a computer system follows procedures to learn from data or an environment. The dramatic advances are typically accompanied by significant limitations, such as a lack of transparency as to how the AI works, risks of unpredictable failure and potential bias.

Artificial intelligence (AI) law creates new opportunities and challenges traditional business models across many sectors. It is accelerating drug discovery, diagnosing disease, automating transport, reducing insurance costs, tailoring customer experiences and driving efficiencies across multiple sectors.

The strength of our UK AI team lies in our full-service approach. We draw on the experience of lawyers from across our many practice areas including corporate, commercial, competition law, cyber security, data protection, employment, intellectual property and product liability, pairing technically excellent legal advice with vast knowledge of AI-related matters.

What is AI?

There is no universally accepted definition of AI, but a reasonable summary is that it covers the automation of tasks that are generally considered to require intelligence. Much of AI's recent breakthroughs are in "machine learning", where a computer system follows procedures to learn from data or an environment. The dramatic advances are typically accompanied by significant limitations, such as a lack of transparency as to how the AI works, risks of unpredictable failure and potential bias.

Artificial Intelligence legal services

AI's technical powers and limitations, combined with ethical concerns around the influence of AI systems, raise new legal issues in areas such as product liability, negligence, intellectual property and competition law. With intense scrutiny from regulators and legislatures worldwide, AI is one of the most complex and fast moving areas of the law.

Advertising & Product Regulatory

Our Advertising and Product Regulatory team can help you navigate and manage the regulation that surrounds marketing and advertising when taking an AI product to market or in the use of AI in marketing. Our expertise includes disputes, consumer protection and digital media. We follow the evolving regulatory landscape, including proposals to control "deepfakes" and other forms of manipulation.

Advertising & Product Regulatory

Our Advertising and Product Regulatory team can help you navigate and manage the regulation that surrounds marketing and advertising when taking an AI product to market or in the use of AI in marketing. Our expertise includes disputes, consumer protection and digital media. We follow the evolving regulatory landscape, including proposals to control "deepfakes" and other forms of manipulation.

Commercial

Commercial

Whether a supplier or customer of an AI solution, your contractual terms need to be tailored to speak to the specifics of that AI solution. AI involves new concepts and considerations, not dealt with in a typical SaaS or services agreement, creating risk for both parties. We advise on managing these risks and clarifying each party's rights and controls over data, models and outputs.

Competition & Antitrust

Competition & Antitrust

There is a fine line between using AI and data to gain a competitive edge and exploiting the technology to monopolize the market. Our Competition & Antitrust team combines extensive legal experience with a deep understanding of evolving policy, providing you with strategic advice on how best to promote and protect your business interests.

Corporate, M&A and Capital Markets

Corporate, M&A and Capital Markets

We have a dedicated team of corporate lawyers specialising in transactions involving AI. This includes supporting AI companies and leading venture capital investors in funding rounds, enabling inorganic growth through technology and business acquisitions, and advising on exits and IPOs. We harness the firm's expertise and experience working with leading AI.

Cyber Security and Data Protection

Cyber Security and Data Protection

Data and AI go hand in hand, posing challenges for businesses as they capitalize on what both have to offer while remaining compliant with data privacy regulations and expectations for cyber security. Our global Cyber Security and Data Protection team will work with you to both reduce risks and manage them when they arise.

Employment, Labour & Equalities

Employment, Labour & Equalities

Better, swifter recruitment. Reliable, up-to-the minute, performance data. Some of the rich possibilities AI offers for maximising the potential of human resources. With opportunity comes risk: bias; privacy; unfairness, perceived or real; an anxious workforce; concerned unions. Drawing on extensive technical and regulatory knowledge, our Employment, Labour & Equalities team helps manage all aspects of legal and employee-relations issues in introducing and working with this exciting and disruptive technology.

Financial Services Regulation

Financial Services Regulation

Data analytics and AI are increasing used in financial services. Regulators recognise the benefits to consumers and markets, but are keen to ensure that the risks are identified and mitigated through effective controls. Our dedicated financial services regulation team, including senior ex-regulators, helps clients navigate the regulatory maze and understand the specific risks posed by AI to their businesses, supporting AI solutions that are transparent, fair and secure.

Government Relations & Human Rights

Government Relations & Human Rights

We have a broad range of experience working for and alongside all levels of governments and their agencies. Our team can also provide services in regulation, public administrative law, constitutional law, human rights and judicial review.

Insurance

Insurance

AI systems are set to transform the insurance industry, helping to cut costs, increase sales, and improve customer service. Our specialist insurance team advises a broad and varied client base including both insurance companies and brokers as well as large policyholder clients.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property

AI involves thorny issues for Intellectual Property (IP), including the protection or control of data, patentable subject matter, computer-generated works and inventions, detecting and proving infringement, the choice between patents and trade secrets, the risks of regulatory disclosures and reverse engineering. We have cross-border experience in the protection of AI and data and in-depth knowledge of the emerging proposals to reform IP laws for AI.

Litigation

Litigation

Our Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution teams have extensive experience in handling complex and high profile matters, including in relation to group litigation. We pair our deep understanding of AI technology with robust legal advice to support on complex AI-related disputes.

Product Liability

Product Liability

Defective products can result in brand damage, expense, fines and even prison. AI presents new technical challenges, such as lack of transparency and predictability, and new definitional issues, such as whether software updates over the air fall within traditional product liability frameworks. We keep up-to-date with emerging legislative proposals for "logging by design" and other risk mitigation strategies.

Public Law & Regulation and Human Rights

Public Law & Regulation and Human Rights

We have a broad range of experience working for and alongside all levels of governments and their agencies. Our team can also provide services in regulation, public administrative law, constitutional law, and judicial review. Our team advises on human rights issues arising from AI used by public authorities and the issues that companies developing AI products should consider.

Public Procurement

Public Procurement

We have a deep understanding of public procurement, including in the developing and overlapping spheres of healthcare and AI.

Client work

Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - St Modwen

St. Modwen

St. Modwen

Advising St. Modwen on its acquisition of an AI-powered tool to support decision-making on property development.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - IP Strategy

IP Strategy

IP Strategy

Advising a FTSE 100 company on its IP strategy for AI, including its trade secrets policies and procedures.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - Mining

Mining

Mining

Advising on contracts concerning autonomous vehicle systems in the mining sector.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - Sosei Heptares

Sosei Heptares

Sosei Heptares

Advising Sosei Heptares on a collaboration with PharmEnable for AI-driven 3D discovery tool. The tool identifies drug candidates to target a biological receptor associated with neurological diseases.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - St Modwen

St. Modwen

St. Modwen

Advising St. Modwen on its acquisition of an AI-powered tool to support decision-making on property development.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - IP Strategy

IP Strategy

IP Strategy

Advising a FTSE 100 company on its IP strategy for AI, including its trade secrets policies and procedures.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - Mining

Mining

Mining

Advising on contracts concerning autonomous vehicle systems in the mining sector.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - Sosei Heptares

Sosei Heptares

Sosei Heptares

Advising Sosei Heptares on a collaboration with PharmEnable for AI-driven 3D discovery tool. The tool identifies drug candidates to target a biological receptor associated with neurological diseases.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - St Modwen

St. Modwen

St. Modwen

Advising St. Modwen on its acquisition of an AI-powered tool to support decision-making on property development.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - IP Strategy

IP Strategy

IP Strategy

Advising a FTSE 100 company on its IP strategy for AI, including its trade secrets policies and procedures.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - Mining

Mining

Mining

Advising on contracts concerning autonomous vehicle systems in the mining sector.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - Sosei Heptares

Sosei Heptares

Sosei Heptares

Advising Sosei Heptares on a collaboration with PharmEnable for AI-driven 3D discovery tool. The tool identifies drug candidates to target a biological receptor associated with neurological diseases.
Artificial Intelligence - Client Work - St Modwen

St. Modwen

St. Modwen

Advising St. Modwen on its acquisition of an AI-powered tool to support decision-making on property development.

Recognition

Gowling WLG is consistently recognised by the likes of The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. JUVE Patent has recognized our "dedicated AI practice" as one of the strengths of our IP team.

We are the only law firm to have been part of UK Autodrive, the largest UK consortia trialling automated vehicle technology. The consortia was part of an initiative to supported by the government to support the introduction of self-driving cars into the UK.

Matt Hervey, our Head of AI in the UK, is immersed in the impacts of AI across the key practice areas, market trends and regulatory and legal developments. He is joint General Editor of The Law of Artificial Intelligence (Sweet & Maxwell), the leading practitioner's textbook covering AI technology, ethics, regulation and law. He participates in AI-related committees and working groups for the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA), the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the IP Federation, and the World Law Group.

Key contacts

Alexandra Brodie

Alexandra Brodie

Partner

IP Litigation

London
David Brennan

David E Brennan

Partner

Co-Chair of Global Tech

London
Jocelyn Paulley

Jocelyn S Paulley

Partner

Co-leader of Retail & Leisure Sector (UK)
Co-leader of Data Protection and Cyber Security sector (UK)

Birmingham
View our team
Technology - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Law - in-page

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Gowling WLG is an international law firm comprising the members of Gowling WLG International Limited, an English Company Limited by Guarantee, and their respective affiliates. Each member and affiliate is an autonomous and independent entity. Gowling WLG International Limited promotes, facilitates and co-ordinates the activities of its members but does not itself provide services to clients. Our structure is explained in more detail on our Legal Information page.

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