Kevin Werbach interviews Kay Firth-Butterfield about how responsible AI has evolved from a niche concern to a global movement. As the world’s first Chief AI Ethics Officer and former Head of AI at the World Economic Forum, Firth-Butterfield brings deep experience aligning AI with human values. She reflects on the early days of responsible AI—when the field was dominated by philosophical debates—to today, when regulation such as the European Union's AI Act is defining the rules of the road.. Firth-Butterfield highlights the growing trust gap in AI, warning that rapid deployment without safeguards is eroding public confidence. Drawing on her work with Fortune 500 firms and her own cancer journey, she argues for human-centered AI, especially in high-stakes areas like healthcare and law. She also underscores the equity issues tied to biased training data and lack of access in the Global South, noting that AI is now generating data based on historical biases. Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic and calls for greater focus on sustainability, access, and AI literacy across sectors.

Kay Firth-Butterfield is the founder and CEO of Good Tech Advisory LLC. She was the world’s first C-suite appointee in AI ethics and was the inaugural Head of AI and Machine Learning at the World Economic Forum from 2017 to 2023. A former judge and barrister, she advises governments and Fortune 500 companies on AI governance and remains affiliated with Doughty Street Chambers in the UK.

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Kay Firth-Butterfield Is Shaping Responsible AI Governance (Time100 Impact Awards)

Our Future with AI Hinges on Global Cooperation

Building an Organizational Approach to Responsible AI

Co-Existing with AI - Firth-Butterfield's Forthcoming Book

Kevin Werbach interviews Dale Cendali, one of the country’s leading intellectual property (IP) attorneys, to discuss how courts are grappling with copyright questions in the age of generative AI. Over 30 lP awsuits already filed against major generative AI firms, and the outcomes may shape the future of AI as well as creative industries.

While we couldn't discuss specifics of one of the most talked-about cases, Thomson Reuters v. ROSS -- because Cendali is litigating it on behalf of Thomson Reuters -- she drew on her decades of experience in IP law to provide an engaging look at the legal battlefield and the prospects for resolution.

Cendali breaks down the legal challenges around training AI on copyrighted materials—from books to images to music—and explains why these cases are unusually complex for copyright law. She discusses the recent US Copyright Office report on Generative AI training, what counts as infringement in AU outputs, and what is sufficient human authorship for copyirght protection of AI works. While precedent offers some guidance, Cendali notes that outcomes will depend heavily on the specific facts of each case. The conversation also touches on how well courts can adapt existing copyright law to these novel technologies, and the prospects for a legislative solution.

Dale Cendali is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, where she leads the firm’s nationwide copyright, trademark, and internet law practice. She has been named one of the 25 Icons of IP Law and one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America. She also serves as an advisor to the American Law Institute’s Copyright Restatement project and sits on the Board of the International Trademark Association.

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Thompson Reuters Wins Key Fair Use Fight With AI Startup

Dale Cendali - 2024 Law360 MVP

Copyright Office Report on Generative AI Training