Conference programme

When the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) first took effect in the EU, global legal and regulatory discourse heavily focused on the so-called ‘Brussels effect’. Recently, however, as AI takes the centre stage, the imperative for sovereign AI has emerged as a new defining catalyst. In response, the US is actively asserting control over cross-border data flows on national security grounds – such as through bulk data transfer rules – while tightening oversight on advanced AI models following events like the Mythos Preview incident. Concurrently, China seeks to extend its strategic influence through initiatives like the World AI Cooperation Organization, while Asian nations, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, are pioneering diverse frameworks to accelerate domestic AI innovation. As the prospects for a harmonised global AI governance framework remain uncertain, legal professionals must step up to serve as essential navigators through this increasingly complex policy and regulatory landscape.

As AI, defence, space and digital technologies increasingly converge, companies face unprecedented legal, regulatory and geopolitical challenges. This keynote explores how general counsel can enable innovation while navigating economic security, export controls, cybersecurity, cross-border collaboration and responsible AI governance. Drawing on the experience of a global technology and defence company, the session examines how legal leadership can build trust, resilience and sustainable growth in an increasingly complex world.

As countries race to secure AI leadership, governments are increasingly pursuing sovereign AI strategies through regulation, investment in computing infrastructure, data governance frameworks and public-private partnerships.

This session will explore how jurisdictions in Asia, Europe and North America are balancing innovation, national security and economic competitiveness, and what these developments mean for businesses operating across borders.

A dynamic and interactive session enabling delegates to choose from a curated menu of hot topics at the intersection of intellectual property, technology and communication. The roundtable discussions will explore how innovation is reshaping legal, commercial and regulatory landscapes across sectors including media, entertainment, art, digital platforms, emerging technologies and beyond.

Each table will focus on a forward-looking issue designed to spark lively debate. Moderators will briefly introduce the topic, set the scene and guide the discussion, with participants bringing in their perspectives, questions and practical experience.

The explosive growth of digital platforms, from e-commerce marketplaces and social media networks to app stores and AI-powered content aggregators, has fundamentally disrupted traditional IP enforcement frameworks. Rights holders increasingly find themselves chasing infringement across borderless online ecosystems where the identity of the infringer may be obscured, the platform's legal obligations are unclear, and the applicable law is contested. This panel will discuss these issues across jurisdictions represented on the panel.

The session will examine how AI systems are moving beyond traditional chatbots and software environments into physical and autonomous decision-making roles, including service robots, autonomous vehicles, drones, surgical robotics, and AI agents capable of negotiating contracts, filing regulatory submissions, or conducting transactions online.

The panel will explore how these developments challenge established legal doctrines in areas such as liability, agency, product safety, intellectual property, confidentiality and professional responsibility, and will provide practical guidance on contracts, governance policies, compliance structures and insurance solutions for increasingly autonomous AI systems.

Art-related disputes increasingly involve cross-border transactions, cultural heritage claims, restitution demands, authenticity disputes and competing ownership interests. In this context, arbitration is often presented as a secure, confidential and internationally enforceable mechanism for resolving complex art disputes.

This session will examine whether arbitration can genuinely serve as a safeguard in the art world, exploring its advantages, limitations and practical challenges through recent cases and developments across different jurisdictions.

As societies become dependent on interconnected autonomous systems – from satellite networks to AI-driven communications platforms to smart infrastructure – the legal frameworks governing their security have become a genuinely cross-disciplinary challenge. This panel asks: who is legally responsible when the stack fails, is attacked, or is weaponised?

Artificial intelligence is increasingly deployed across multiple jurisdictions, yet businesses must navigate an increasingly fragmented legal landscape. This session will explore the practical legal challenges arising from cross-border AI deployment, including intellectual property, copyright, data governance, privacy, contractual allocation of risk, product liability, platform regulation, and compliance with divergent AI regulatory frameworks. Rather than focusing on a single jurisdiction, the discussion will examine how multinational businesses and their advisers can manage conflicting legal requirements and develop practical global strategies.

In the current environment, with AI innovations creating an unprecedented explosion of demand for communications infrastructure, governments around the globe are considering the need for regulation of that infrastructure to provide protections in two critical areas: cybersecurity and AI safety. This panel will critically analyse the difference between approaches across jurisdictions and propose solutions for a global approach.