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Generative AI – Addressing Copyright

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Ciara Cullen, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer and Emma Dunnill, Senior Associate

When it comes to the interaction of AI and IP rights, bar a flurry of activity surrounding the inevitable outcome by all of the courts including the Supreme Court in the Thaler, Dabus case, most attention has been focussed on copyright. There are three main potentially thorny issues and all have been extensively covered by the mainstream media.

AI and Privacy – 10 Questions to Ask

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Jon Bartley, Partner and Praveeta Thayalan, Knowledge Lawyer and Karolina Lewicki, Associate

We set out in this section 10 key questions to ask yourself at the outset when developing or deploying AI solutions in your business.

The Ethics of AI - The Digital Dilemma

Published on 03 Jun 2024.

This is Part 6 of 'Regulation of AI – raising the trillion dollar bAIby'

Part 6 – Practical Considerations

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate

This is Part 6 of 'Regulation of AI – raising the trillion dollar bAIby'

Part 5 – AI Regulation Globally

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate

This is Part 5 of 'Regulation of AI – raising the trillion dollar bAIby'

Part 3 - AI regulation in the US

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate

Back in October 2022, the White House published federal guidance – a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights identifying five principles aiming to guide the design, use, and deployment of automated systems. It was designed to operate as a roadmap to protect the public from AI harms and was followed in October 2023 by the US President's Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence...

Part 2 - AI regulation in the EU

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate

The EU AI Act, the main elements of which are covered in our previous article, was provisionally agreed in December 2023. Shortly after it was agreed, the Commission released some Q&As to flesh out the key provisions and timelines for application. It is anticipated that the latest text of the Artificial Intelligence Act will be formally adopted by both Parliament and Council in April, triggering a graduated two year period for compliance (with obligations for high-risk systems defined in Annex II applicable in 3 years).

Part 1 - UK AI regulation

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate

There has been consistent messaging from the UK Conservative-led government that the UK has decided to adopt a light touch approach to regulating AI. This was evident in the AI white paper published in March 2023 which outlined a principles based framework (see ['The Ethics of AI – the Digital Dilemma'] for more information about the principles themselves and see here for additional coverage of the AI white paper). The UK government held a consultation on the AI white paper in 2023 and published a response on 6 February 2024 that adds slightly more flesh to the bones of the UK framework.

What is a foundational model?

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Rory Graham, Associate

What is AI and why is it topical?

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Paul Joukador, Partner and Helen Armstrong, Partner and Charles Buckworth, Partner and Caroline Tuck, Partner

Whilst there is no universal definition of what constitutes artificial intelligence, at its core, AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and learn like humans. This encompasses the ability to reason, learn from experience, understand complex concepts, interact with their environment and look to solve problems.

Regulation of AI - raising the trillion dollar bAIby - introduction

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Caroline Tuck, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate

As with any new technology, existing data protection and privacy, intellectual property, competition, product liability, data security and consumer laws apply to its application in each jurisdiction. This has thrown up a number of important and newsworthy issues and considerations for AI developers and providers, legislators, consumers and rights holders. There are also several sets of high profile legal proceedings both decided and ongoing in several jurisdictions. These issues and legal proceedings are discussed in other sections of this AI Guide.

ICO publishes updates to its guidance on Transfer Risk Assessments

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How will recent updates to the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) guidance on Transfer Risk Assessments (TRAs) affect how UK organisations conduct their TRAs?

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology consults on proposed data infrastructure statutory framework

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What statutory obligations could the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) proposed statutory framework impose on UK data centre providers?

ICO launches consultation series on generative AI and data protection

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What is the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) intended approach to developing guidance on how data protection law should be applied to the development and use of generative AI?

CJEU rules on what constitutes “automated decision-making” under the GDPR

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

Does the production of a credit score constitute “automated decision-making” for the purposes of Article 22 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)? What wider impact will this have for AI technologies?

ICO warns UK’s most visited websites to improve cookie choices

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What steps is the ICO taking to ensure that website cookie banners are compliant with law?

ICO fines HelloFresh £140,000 after 7-month spam marketing campaign

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

Where did HelloFresh go wrong with their email and text marketing campaign and what lessons can be learned from the ICO’s investigation and subsequent fine?

New ICO guidance on content moderation and data compliance

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How can organisations using content moderation technologies and processes best comply with data protection laws?

EDPB adopts opinion on “main establishment” of a controller in the EU

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What is meant by “main establishment” under article 4(16)(a) of the GDPR for the purposes of determining the application of the one-stop-shop mechanism?

New Development: EU Data Act published in Official Journal

Published on 17 Apr 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

The EU Data Act (the Act) came into force on 11 January 2024. The Act sets out rules regarding the fair access to and use of data, aiming to enhance the data economy for individuals and businesses by overcoming barriers to data sharing and establishing frameworks around data access and use.

ICO issues preliminary enforcement notice against Snap for its “My AI” Chatbot

Published on 11 Dec 2023. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How can organisations who wish to join to the world of generative AI ensure that they adequately assess the risks from the perspective of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)?

New Development: EDPB provides clarification on tracking techniques covered by the ePrivacy Directive

Published on 11 Dec 2023. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

On 14 November 2023, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted a set of new guidelines (the Guidelines) on the technical scope of Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive (the ePD).

ICO publishes guidance to ensure lawful monitoring in the workplace

Published on 11 Dec 2023. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How can employers monitor their workers whilst maintaining their trust and complying with data protection regulation?

Clearview AI cleared of £7.5m ICO fine for processing data outside the UK

Published on 11 Dec 2023. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

Just how did the processing of personal data by Clearview AI (Clearview) fall outside the scope of UK GDPR?

ICO publishes its draft “Data Protection Fining Guidance” for public consultation

Published on 11 Dec 2023. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How will the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) calculate the amount of a fine under the UK GPDR and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018?

EU Advocate General’s opinion on data subjects’ rights to compensation for non-material damage under the GDPR

Published on 11 Dec 2023. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

Does the theft of an individual’s sensitive personal data by a wrongdoer give rise to compensation for non-material damage under Article 82 EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), if the wrongdoer has not used, or taken steps to use, the sensitive personal data for any purpose?

ICO updates its guidance on AI and data protection

Published on 07 Jul 2023. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What are the key data protection principles which the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) expects organisations to follow when integrating AI into their product and service offerings?

The Times recognises RPC among Best Law Firms 2024

Published on 30 Oct 2023.

International law firm, RPC, has been recognised by The Times in its Best Law Firms 2024 report, an annual ranking of the top 250 law firms in England and Wales.

Myth busting and moving the dial in DEI

Published on 20 Aug 2024. By Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG strategy lead and Rachel Pears, Head of Responsible Business and Katie Horn, DEIB and Responsible Business Manager (Market Facing)

This article is a summary of a session delivered by Kelly Thomson (Partner, Employment, Engagement & Equality and ESG Strategy Lead at RPC) and Rachel Pears (Head of Responsible Business at RPC), at the second Annual D&I Conference, in partnership with the British Retail Consortium (BRC). During this particular session, common myths and misconceptions surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) were discussed and different sides of various issues were dissected, drawing out the nuances of seemingly polarised positional statements. Below, we address a handful of these myths, offering a balanced perspective on the complexities of DEI and exploring how to drive meaningful progress in our organisations.

Employer lessons from teacher's menopause bias win

Published on 17 Jul 2024. By Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG strategy lead and Ellie Gelder, Senior Editor Employment & Equality

On May 31, a Scottish employment tribunal made its decision in Allison Shearer v. South Lanarkshire Council and awarded a teacher over £60,000 ($77,829) for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal, following her dismissal for ill health after a period of long¬term sickness absence.

Menopause discrimination: Where are we now?

Published on 16 Nov 2023. By Ellie Gelder, Senior Editor Employment & Equality and Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG strategy lead and Victoria Othen, External Consultant

October heralded an important legal first when a Leicester employment tribunal began hearing the case of Rooney v Leicester City Council. It is the first case where a person's menopausal symptoms have been deemed by an appeal court to potentially amount to a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.

Adjusting your recruitment process for a candidate with a disability: What is reasonable?

Published on 18 Sep 2023. By Ellie Gelder, Senior Editor Employment & Equality and Charlotte Reid, Senior Associate

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that a failure to make enquiries into a job applicant's disability amounted to a failure to make reasonable adjustments.

CAT Collective Proceedings - Summer 2024 update

Published on 24 Jul 2024. By Chris Ross, Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech and Zoe Mernick-Levene, Partner

Developments in the UK’s competition collective proceedings regime continue apace with new claims recently issued in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT).

The CAT's new approach: I can't afford a carriage (dispute)

Published on 02 Jun 2023. By Chris Ross, Partner

Since the collective proceedings regime in the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) kicked off, a number of carriage disputes have arisen. So-called 'carriage disputes' arise when there are two or more competing proposed class representatives (PCRs) seeking certification (and therefore 'carriage') of overlapping class actions.

Sports Ticker (27 April 2023) – PL gambling sponsor ban, WWE x UFC merger and Schumacher's AI interview – a speed-read of commercial updates from the sports world

Published on 28 Apr 2023. By Jeremy Drew, Partner, Head of Commercial and Joshua Charalambous, Partner and Samuel Coppard, Senior Associate and Joseph Akwaboa, Associate

In a fortnight which saw Corach Rambler win the Grand National, the UK & Ireland submit its bid to host the UEFA Euro 2028 men's tournament, and 48,000 runners take to the streets for the London Marathon, we bring you updates on Spotify's new integration with Strava and Team GB's collaboration with Birds Eye. We also feature stories on a controversial AI-generated interview with Michael Schumacher and our own Kate O'Malley's sub-three hour marathon success.

Adams v Carey – where does the Court of Appeal's decision leave the SIPP market?

Published on 01 Apr 2021. By Rachael Healey, Partner and Ash Daniells, Senior Associate

The Court of Appeal has today dismissed Mr Adams' appeal against Carey in respect of COBS 2.1.1R. However, the appeal in relation to s.27 FSMA has been upheld. We discuss the background to the proceedings, the Court of Appeal decision and where it takes the SIPP (and wider financial services) market.

Parliamentary 'wash up' – which Bills made it through?

Published on 31 May 2024. By Paul Joukador, Partner and Praveeta Thayalan, Knowledge Lawyer and Shahil Goodka, Trainee Solicitor

On 22 May 2024, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that a General Election will take place on 4 July 2024. Parliament was then prorogued on 24 May 2024 which allowed a mere 2 days for 'wash up' - the process by which outstanding bills may be rushed through the parliamentary process.

UK Government sets out proposals for regulation of AI

Published on 10 Oct 2022. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What are the UK Government’s plans for the future regulation of artificial intelligence (AI)?

UK government announces the launch of an AI standards hub

Published on 12 Apr 2022. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What does the new artificial intelligence (AI) standards hub mean for businesses seeking to develop AI technologies?

Going Green – staying on the right side of competition law

Published on 15 May 2023. By Melanie Musgrave, Of Counsel

Environmental issues are high on the agenda for many consumers and businesses alike. They are also increasingly an area of focus for competition authorities around the world, including the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), who are keen to ensure that competition law concerns do not unnecessarily prevent businesses from collaborating legitimately on environmental sustainability initiatives.

All is not (necessarily) lost: Crypto crime recovery

Published on 30 Jun 2022. By Adam Craggs, Partner

With over 2 million people in the UK now holding and using cryptocurrency, and the Chancellor announcing that a government backed non-fungible token ("NFT") is to be issued by the Royal Mint this summer, the market for crypto-assets is expected to continue to grow in the coming months and years; so much so that legislation is planned to implement a new regulatory regime for the crypto market.

DORA Watch – June and July 2024

Published on 22 Jul 2024. By Jon Bartley, Partner and Laura Thackeray, Senior Associate

As financial entities and ICT service providers undergo the final stages of implementation of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) requirements into their systems and processes, it is imperative to understand the legal developments and ongoing updates arising from EU Member States as they go through their respective transposition and alignment processes. Through TerraLex - our global legal network, which provides us with access to 22,000 lawyers from highly regarded and carefully vetted law firms stretching more than 120 countries – we have collated legal updates focusing on DORA and its implications in EU jurisdictions.

The Work Couch: Bonus Live episode: Exploring the cost of untapped talent, with Tskenya-Sarah Frazer, Trevor Sterling and Mark Ash

Published on 31 Jul 2024.

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast where we discuss all things employment.

Supporting and retaining Gen Z talent (Part 2): Work-life balance, communication and wellbeing, with Rose Sellman-Leava and Laura Verrecchia

Published on 24 Jul 2024.

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast series where we explore how your business can navigate today's tricky people challenges and respond to key developments in the ever-evolving world of employment law.

The Work Couch: Supporting and retaining Gen Z talent (Part 1): Myths and opportunities, with Rose Sellman-Leava and Laura Verrecchia

Published on 10 Jul 2024.

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast series where we explore how your business can navigate today's tricky people challenges and respond to key developments in the ever-evolving world of employment law.

The Work Couch: AI (Part 3): The role of emotional intelligence and AI's impact on wellbeing, with Jake Wall and Patrick Brodie

Published on 26 Jun 2024.

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast series where we explore how your business can navigate today's tricky people challenges and respond to key developments in the ever-evolving world of employment law.

The Work Couch: AI (Part 2): Privacy, bias, and discrimination

Published on 13 Jun 2024.

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast series where we explore how your business can navigate today's tricky people challenges and respond to key developments in the ever-evolving world of employment law.

AI (Part 1): Impact on litigation, responsible use and the regulatory landscape

Published on 29 May 2024.

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast series where we explore how your business can navigate today's tricky people challenges and respond to key developments in the ever-evolving world of employment law.