OPENWORLD LTD Founder Dorcas Muthoni On FT World Tech Founders Podcast

Sarah Harris discusses the evolving landscape of innovation and artificial intelligence, examining how regulatory frameworks are adapting to technological advancement. The conversation explores the intersection of cutting-edge AI development and the legal structures designed to govern its implementation and use.

Recent ASA decisions highlight how AI-generated advertising content can perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes and offensive imagery, particularly through deepfake technology. As generative AI becomes increasingly prevalent in marketing campaigns, regulators are emphasizing that marketers remain fully responsible for ensuring their AI-generated content complies with advertising standards, regardless of the technology used to create it.

Recruitment is one of the highest-risk areas for AI use in any organisation. It is also one of the areas where AI tools are being adopted most quickly, often with little scrutiny of what they actually do or how they reach their conclusions. The combination of speed, apparent objectivity, and legal exposure makes this a topic that HR professionals and employers cannot afford to approach without a clear understanding of the risks involved.

The SRA’s new warning notice on the misuse of artificial intelligence is not really about some distant future. It is about what is already happening in legal practice. AI tools are being used to summarise documents, draft letters, assist with legal research, prepare chronologies and make routine work quicker. Used sensibly, they can be genuinely helpful. Used carelessly, they can create serious regulatory problems.

The EU Data Act introduces new access by design requirements for connected products and related services, fundamentally changing how IoT providers must handle product data accessibility. As the first anniversary of the Act's general applicability approaches, manufacturers and service providers face critical compliance deadlines that will reshape data access standards across the smart device market.

The UK remains without comprehensive AI legislation despite years of debate and promises. Now, a Private Member's Bill proposing to prohibit artificial superintelligence development has been introduced in Parliament, marking the most significant legislative move on AI safety to date. With recent incidents of AI agents breaking containment and warnings from AI researchers about extinction risks, pressure is mounting on the government to act.

The transparency obligations introduced by Article 50 of the EU AI Act (Act) apply to AI providers (organisations that create or supply AI systems) and deployers (organisations that operate such systems as part of their business activities). The Act’s requirements are being phased in gradually and the transparency obligations that came into force on 2 August are one of the significant implementation milestones. The purpose of the Article 50 transparency obligations is to help individuals understand whether content is AI-generated.

We are delighted to launch our new podcast series, Insuring AI, which explores the broad range of questions that AI is throwing up for the insurance world.

Advertisers using AI-generated content face complex transparency requirements that vary significantly between the UK and EU. While UK law focuses on preventing consumer deception without explicit AI labelling mandates, the EU AI Act introduces strict disclosure obligations for 'deep fakes' that could catch even UK-based campaigns if they reach EU audiences.

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has published a letter from its Chair and Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

The High Court has awarded the Swatch Group US$11.6 million in negotiation damages against Samsung for trade mark infringements involving watch face apps on the Galaxy App store. Rejecting both parties' extreme valuations of US$170 million and US$301, the court established important principles for assessing damages when brand owners don't license their marks and no comparable market royalties exist.

Fendi, Loewe, Dior, Celine and LVMH have successfully pursued an online reseller and its influencer founder over sales of high-quality counterfeit goods, securing £213,000 in damages. The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court confirmed that a low price alone does not excuse a counterfeiter from damages liability, establishing that brands can be compensated for lost sales even when customers knowingly choose cheaper fakes over genuine products.

The Law Commission's second consultation paper examines whether the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954's security of tenure regime remains fit for purpose in today's commercial property market. With proposals ranging from streamlined contracting-out procedures to expanded redevelopment grounds that accommodate modern retrofit work, the consultation tests whether Part 2 of the Act has become too burdensome...

Nearly six in ten separated or divorced parents in the UK report experiencing alienating behaviour from a former partner, according to the first nationally representative study of its kind. Understanding what constitutes alienating behaviour, how it affects children, and what legal remedies are available has become increasingly important for families navigating separation. The courts now focus on specific behaviours that cause a child to reject one parent without reasonable explanation, rather than using th

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that packaging publicly available information into a unique investment strategy can create protectable confidential information, even when disclosed to hundreds of potential investors. This landmark ruling clarifies when information enters the public domain and how NDAs should be interpreted in commercial disputes.

Former soldier and MP Tobias Ellwood examines the fragmentation of the international order and draws parallels with the pre-World War II era, exploring how authoritarianism, Western isolationism, and emerging technologies are reshaping global conflict. The discussion addresses the critical importance of strong leadership, international alliances, and defending the rules-based international system to prevent a more divided and dangerous future.

Mishcon de Reya experts examine how large corporates can transition from AI experimentation to strategic deployment, addressing critical questions around governance, vendor contracts, risk management, and accountability. The discussion provides practical guidance on building frameworks that unite legal, IT, and C-suite leadership while balancing innovation with regulatory compliance and measurable business value.

Merger Control Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of UK, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

The Court of Appeal has overturned a controversial 2017 judgment and ruled that documents created by corporations in the course of an internal investigation may be covered by litigation privilege.

Changes to strategic and director reporting will start to impact boards in 2019.