Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

As AI and networked digital technologies have become increasingly omnipresent and societally impactful, lawyers need to be prepared to advise business, investment, and legal teams on the opportunities, key considerations, and risks presented by emerging technologies. With a focus on product launches, strategic alliances, and digitization, this seminar aims to place students in legal advisory roles in the complex real-world scenarios faced by technology innovators and more traditional businesses as they develop and roll out new tech offerings, partner with technology providers, invest in emerging tech, and undergo digital transformations. How do lawyers advise on issues such as the rollout of Stable Diffusion, ChatGPT or other LLMs, the design of a new public health contact tracing app, the storage of critical business functions in the cloud, emerging market investments in AI technologies, the integration of third-party tech in autonomous vehicles, and approaches to new disruptive technologies? The seminar will explore key considerations in areas such as intellectual property, data, privacy, security, and deal structuring, while also evaluating tech decision-making through a public interest lens of responsible, safe, rights-respecting, and ethical business conduct. This reading seminar is designed to be interactive and will include a mix of readings, guest speakers drawn from industry, government, and private practice, and interactive case studies in which students will participate in role playing business teams, in-house and outside counsel, investors, and public interest constituencies. No experience or background is necessary, but deep intellectual curiosity around exploring the complexities and implications of technology decision-making on businesses and society is strongly desired.)

Note: This reading group will meet on the following dates: 9/12, 9/26, 10/17, 10/31, 11/7, 11/28