Artificial Intelligence

Overview

Artificial intelligence (AI) impacts nearly every primary industry, including health care, consumer finance, transportation, insurance, higher education, critical infrastructure and retail, and poses significant implications for privacy, security, non-discrimination, and other human rights. Robinson+Cole’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Team brings lawyers together from across multiple areas of practice to navigate this complex area of law and understand the legal and regulatory risks at hand.

Our Services

Our team is equipped with knowledge and experience to successfully address the unique challenges that arise through the implementation of AI. Comprised of highly-skilled litigators, corporate, privacy and security, anti-trust, intellectual property and transactional attorneys, our team collaborates effectively to fully understand and address our clients’ specific business objectives.

Our lawyers are highly knowledgeable in both the uses and risks of AI and can advise on risks related to the governance and use of AI and navigating regulatory risks from:

  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  • Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC)
  • The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
  • Professional Ethical Standards and Regulation
  • State laws and regulations applicable to the use of AI technology

Robinson+Cole provides a full range of data privacy and cybersecurity services, including matters related to artificial intelligence. AI technology can be used in phishing scams, cyberattacks, and ransomware. We have a deep understanding of governance and related federal and state regulatory requirements to advise clients on risk reduction and compliance.

Additionally, we are well-versed in the risks of AI regarding intellectual property and copyright and anti-trust. Our team includes attorneys and a Patent Agent with extensive experience handling patent applications related to varied technologies, who understand the ways AI may infringe on existing intellectual property and how to protect our clients’ interests.

Our Team

Our Artificial Intelligence team is dedicated to understanding this complex and evolving technology and the different scenarios that may impact our clients. Active thought leaders, authors, and presenters, we consistently offer timely and thoughtful discussions on a wide range of topics related to AI.

    • News
      • November 28, 2023

        Sean Griffin Speaks with The Cyber Queens Live Podcast on Cybersecurity, Privacy and AI

        • » more info

          Sean Griffin Speaks with The Cyber Queens Live Podcast on Cybersecurity, Privacy and AI

          Artificial Intelligence Team partner Sean C. Griffin was featured in an episode of The Cyber Queens Live Podcast. In their lively and fast moving discussion, Sean shared insight about his business litigation background and about the unexpected challenge in passing cybersecurity certification tests. Sean identified artificial intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT among the hottest cyber issues today, warning against it being used too frequently in legal writing because it’s a “stochastic parrot;” basically “a word prediction machine….that will give you words that come after other words that sound good. It’s not actually writing, it’s guessing.” When asked who or which agency will eventually oversee AI, Sean explained that “what’s going to eventually happen is the industry will say we need some regulations here. Because we’re getting sued willy nilly...Companies hate being sued 50 different times in 50 different states.” He said there’s a push right now for a federal law regarding data breach, as an example. “We’ll just have one standard that we can follow and if we break the law we get sued in federal court…It would be good to have one standard across the country.” Sean said that in his presentations on AI he counsels to “insert a human early into the process…so that they can catch things that a human will catch” but that a computer simply can’t. “Your recourse is to not rely too much on AI for things it just can’t do.” Watch the podcast.

        • View article
      • October 3, 2023

        Linn Freedman Discusses the Legal Industry’s Use of AI in Hartford Business Journal Cover Story

        • » more info

          Linn Freedman Discusses the Legal Industry’s Use of AI in Hartford Business Journal Cover Story

          Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team chair Linn F. Freedman discussed the growing use of artificial intelligence by law firms in the article “Attorneys slowly embrace AI, but urge caution as technology rapidly evolves,” published in the Hartford Business Journal on October 2, 2023. In the cover story, Linn confirmed that “AI is here to stay” and that “AI tools are brilliant when it comes to increasing efficiency…” But she also acknowledged that “…the output is only as good as the input,” explaining that if the information that goes into an AI database is inaccurate the output will be inaccurate too. Among the pitfalls Linn sees with the use of AI is the unauthorized use of intellectual property. She pointed out that there have been numerous litigation matters filed “by authors, artists and others alleging that their information, their intellectual property, has been stolen and is being used to provide machine learning without permission, without licensing, without royalties. So, I think that’s an area of risk that all companies, including law firms, need to be thinking about.” Linn advises companies using generative AI to appoint a stakeholder team that evaluates risks and sets organizational strategies and controls around its use. Read the article.

        • View article
      • August 21, 2023

        Jennifer Driscoll and Linn Freedman Examine the Impact of GenerativeAI in Mealey’s Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce

        • » more info

          Jennifer Driscoll and Linn Freedman Examine the Impact of GenerativeAI in Mealey’s Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce

          Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team chair Linn F. Freedman and member Jennifer M. Driscoll co-authored the article “COVID-19, Generative AI And The 'Lost Generation' Of Lawyers,” published in the August 2023 issue of Mealey’s Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. The authors examine the impact that COVID-19 and the growing use of Generative AI (GenAI) continue to have on the legal industry. While GenAI offers efficiencies that enable attorneys to do their jobs in a cost-effective manner, there is concern about the legal risks of using GenAI and its potential to displace junior associates, who may then face a gap in legal and interpersonal skills that interferes with their advancement and client relationships. Jen and Linn suggest that senior lawyers create opportunities for junior associates to learn how to harness the power of GenAI, while developing independent critical thinking skills through more traditional training. Read the article.

        • View article
    • Publications + Presentations
    • "Rise of the Robots: AI and the Future of Insurance," presented by Aaron F. Mandel, CLE hosted by the QBE North America Legal Department (10/3/2023)
      • » more info

        • Rise of the Robots: AI and the Future of Insurance

        "Rise of the Robots: AI and the Future of Insurance," presented by Aaron F. Mandel, CLE hosted by the QBE North America Legal Department (10/3/2023)

        Aaron discussed how insurers can expect AI to impact underwriting and claim handling as AI becomes more broadly adopted both within and outside the insurance industry.


      "Privacy, Security, and AI: Transforming Information Governance," presented by Kathryn M. Rattigan, as part of ARMA New England's " 2nd Annual Golf Benefit and Education Day" (9/19/2023)
      • » more info

        • Privacy, Security, and AI: Transforming Information Governance

        "Privacy, Security, and AI: Transforming Information Governance," presented by Kathryn M. Rattigan, as part of ARMA New England's " 2nd Annual Golf Benefit and Education Day" (9/19/2023)

        With information governance playing an increasingly significant role in the way corporations do business, Kathryn focused on understanding privacy laws and regulations that apply to business and how information governance can help comply with these laws, how information governance is a key element in improving data security for organizations and preventing data breaches, and how and why artificial intelligence is increasingly used in information management.


      "COVID-19, Generative AI And The 'Lost Generation' Of Lawyers," presented by Jennifer M. Driscoll, a myLawCLE live-video broadcast (9/14/2023)
      • » more info

        • COVID-19, Generative AI And The 'Lost Generation' Of Lawyers

        "COVID-19, Generative AI And The 'Lost Generation' Of Lawyers," presented by Jennifer M. Driscoll, a myLawCLE live-video broadcast (9/14/2023)

        Jen provided an overview of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its actual and potential effects on the legal industry. In particular, she addressed what the combined impact of COVID and Generative AI may have on the day-to-day practice of law, especially for junior associates, who are at risk of becoming a “lost generation” of lawyers. Jen also discussed how law firms can embrace AI technology while ensuring that their integrity of operations and talented attorneys thrive.


      "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Insurance," presented by Sean C. Griffin, as part of the 2023 General Counsel Connect hosted by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) in Chicago, IL (8/29/2023)
      • » more info

        • Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Insurance

        "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Insurance," presented by Sean C. Griffin, as part of the 2023 General Counsel Connect hosted by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) in Chicago, IL (8/29/2023)

        Sean described AI’s potential benefits, and he also discussed AI’s potential to expose insurers to sloppy claims handling, bad-faith lawsuits, and government investigations. This event featured roundtable discussions on the latest legal challenges facing the industry and networking opportunities for general counsel, corporate counsel, and chief legal officers of NAMIC member companies.


Our Team

Chair

Members

Error in element (see logs)