Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 10 NOVEMBER 2026

Generative AI And International Arbitration: The Road To Efficiency Or Ruin?

A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Contributor

A&O Shearman

Introducing A&O Shearman Unparalleled global depth for a changing world. Today more than ever,...

View firm profile
Explore more from A&O Shearman

Generative AI is rapidly transforming international arbitration, but is it making disputes faster and more cost-effective, or opening the door to guerilla tactics and unfair outcomes? Senior lawyers, experts and arbitrators gathered during Hong Kong Arbitration Week 2025 to explore how AI is reshaping dispute resolution in Asia, examining both its efficiency gains and the risks that could undermine arbitration's legitimacy.

Hong KongLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Sheila Ahuja
Sheila Ahuja
Edward Taylor
Edward Taylor
Fares Nowak
Fares Nowak
Gabrielle Luk
Gabrielle Luk
Author LinkedIn connections

Generative AI is rapidly transforming the practice of international arbitration and, more broadly, how international commercial disputes are resolved.

During Hong Kong Arbitration Week 2026, A&O Shearman hosted a panel of senior lawyers, experts and arbitrators, moderated by Sheila Ahuja KC (A&O Shearman), in front of a packed audience to explore whether Generative AI is helping to make arbitrations faster and more cost-effective or, conversely, opening the door to guerilla tactics and unfair outcomes.

The panelists—Zoe Lau (Standard Chartered), Edward Taylor (A&O Shearman), Eric Ng (Prince’s Chambers), Jessica Pyman (Control Risks), Lydia Tang (BRG), and Fares Nowak (A&O Shearman)—shared their firsthand experiences and perspectives on how Generative AI is reshaping international arbitration in Asia. Several key themes emerged from the engaging panel discussion and audience Q&A.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Podcast

Inside HKIAC: 2025 Arbitration Trends And What Comes Next (Podcast)

The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre processed 582 new cases worth $16.2 billion in 2025, involving parties from 61 jurisdictions. HKIAC Secretary-General Joanne Lau discusses emerging trends in international arbitration, including cryptocurrency disputes, arbitrator diversity initiatives, and the strategic advantages of Hong Kong's interim measures arrangement with Mainland China.
Hong KongLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Bracewell LLP
Bracewell LLP
Article

US$1.8 Billion At Risk: Hong Kong’s Cross-Border Asset Preservation Power In The Zong Family Trust Dispute

When substantive proceedings unfold in one jurisdiction while key assets sit in another, can courts preserve those assets without determining ownership? The Hong Kong Court of Appeal's decision in Jacky Zong v Kelly Fuli Zong addresses this critical question in cross-border family wealth disputes, examining whether preservation orders under section 21M require proof of dissipation risk, whether applicants must first seek relief from foreign courts, and how disclosure orders can ensure effective asset preser
Hong KongLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Jincheng Tongda & Neal
Jincheng Tongda & Neal
Article

Hong Kong Sets Aside USD 481.6 Million Award: The Duty To Address The Defence Actually Advanced

The Hong Kong Court of First Instance set aside a USD 481.6 million arbitral award after finding that the tribunal failed to address the actual estoppel defence presented by the respondents. The court distinguished between a tribunal rejecting arguments on their merits versus failing to determine the essential issue actually advanced, emphasizing that tribunals must address the specific case presented rather than a materially different question.
Hong KongLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Aceris Law
Aceris Law
Article

Hong Kong Launches Stakeholder Consultation On Arbitration Law Reform

Hong Kong launches a stakeholder consultation on proposed amendments to its Arbitration Ordinance, marking the most significant update since 2011. The recommendations include changes to jurisdictional rules, tribunal powers, and enforcement mechanisms, forming part of Hong Kong's broader strategy to strengthen its position as an international legal and dispute resolution hub.
Hong KongLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP
Article

Hong Kong Court Of Final Appeal Clarifies The Approach For Foreign Illegality Defence In Unjust Enrichment Claims

The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal has issued a landmark ruling on the foreign illegality defence in unjust enrichment claims, formally adopting the flexible "range of factors" approach from Patel v Mirza. The decision clarifies when parties can recover funds through restitution even when the underlying cross-border contract is unenforceable due to foreign law violations, establishing critical distinctions between contractual and restitutionary remedies.
Hong KongLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Fangda Partners
Fangda Partners
Article

Amendments To The Act On The Protection Of Personal Information Promulgated

Japan has enacted sweeping amendments to its Act on the Protection of Personal Information, introducing an administrative surcharge regime with monetary penalties for data protection violations, new protections for children under 16 and biometric data, and expanded exceptions for data utilization in statistical analysis and AI development. The reforms, which take effect in stages through 2028, fundamentally reshape Japan's privacy enforcement landscape by granting the Personal Information Protection Commiss
JapanPrivacy
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

EU Packaging And Packaging Waste Regulation—what International Corporate Groups Should Know

The European Union's new Regulation on packaging and packaging waste has fundamentally transformed compliance requirements for companies placing packaged goods on the EU market, replacing decades-old directive-based frameworks with directly applicable product-law rules. While promising regulatory harmonization across member states, the reality presents a complex dual-compliance landscape where businesses must navigate both EU-wide packaging standards and diverging national implementation approaches.
European UnionEnvironment
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

SEC Issues “Innovation Exemption” To Facilitate Trading Of Tokenized NMS Stock

The SEC has issued a groundbreaking Innovation Exemption allowing tokenized securities venues to facilitate trading of tokenized NMS stocks using automated market makers and liquidity pools. This temporary five-year exemption from exchange and dealer registration requirements establishes conditions for permissioned blockchain-based trading while granting public companies a 30-day window to object to third-party tokenization of their securities.
United StatesFinance and Banking
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

Delaware Chancery Invalidates Buyer Termination And Orders Specific Performance Of Obligations To Seek Regulatory Clearance For Merger

A Delaware Court of Chancery decision examines whether an acquiror can terminate a $2.35 billion merger agreement when antitrust approval is delayed beyond the outside date. The case centers on whether the acquiror's abandonment of discussions with a competitor—which triggered an FTC investigation—constitutes "willful conduct" that prevents the buyer from walking away from the deal.
United StatesCorporate/Commercial Law
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

Court Of Chancery Imposes Sanctions For Spoliation Of Signal Messages

The Delaware Court of Chancery imposed significant sanctions in a merger litigation case after finding that the company's controlling stockholder and senior officers recklessly destroyed Signal messages following legal hold notices. The court shifted the burden of proof by presuming certain facts favorable to plaintiffs, requiring defendants to rebut these presumptions with clear and convincing evidence rather than a preponderance standard.
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

The EU’s Proposed Industrial Accelerator Act: What The Battery Industry Needs To Know—and Do

The European Commission's Industrial Accelerator Act proposes to reshape battery supply chains by conditioning access to EU public procurement and support schemes on strict origin requirements. As China controls over 80% of global battery manufacturing capacity, the legislation introduces escalating component-count thresholds that could fundamentally alter market access, financing structures, and supplier eligibility across the battery value chain.
GlobalGovernment, Public Sector
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

How Spain’s Draft Data Center Rules Could Transform Digital Infrastructure Investment

Spain's draft Royal Decree introduces stringent energy sustainability, environmental, resilience and digital sovereignty requirements for data centers, including renewable additionality, hourly correlation, and efficiency standards. The regulation applies to all access and connection permits obtained after entry into force, with specific compliance deadlines for projects in progress and those with granted permits not yet connected to the grid.
SpainEnergy and Natural Resources
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
Article

SEC Proposes Regulation Crypto Assets: Tailored Pathways For Covered Investment Contracts

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed Regulation Crypto Assets, introducing two tailored exemptions from Securities Act registration requirements for certain offerings of covered investment contracts involving crypto assets. The proposal establishes a startup exemption allowing up to $5 million in offerings over four years and a two-tier fundraising exemption permitting offerings up to $75 million...
United StatesFinance and Banking
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman