AI Regulation, Governance and Opportunity: Insights from the Legal 500 AI Summit 2025

We were proud to sponsor this year’s Legal 500 AI Summit, an event that brought together legal and business leaders from across sectors to explore how organisations are responding to the growing influence of AI. 

Across a packed agenda, one message was clear: while the technology may be developing rapidly, the role of legal teams remains central in ensuring AI is deployed responsibly, strategically and in line with evolving regulatory expectations.

Horizon Scanning – From Risk Awareness to Operational Readiness

Opening discussions focused on horizon scanning as a strategic necessity, particularly for organisations operating in regulated or global environments. Whether dealing with infrastructure, financial systems or digital services, panellists agreed that the ability to identify and act on emerging legal, technological and geopolitical developments is critical.

One of the most resonant points was the emphasis on governance. Embedding awareness of AI and regulatory change into operational structures is fast becoming a baseline expectation – not just from regulators, but from boards, stakeholders and customers.

Navigating Regulation – Practical Compliance in a Fragmented Landscape

The regulatory panel featuring Tom Whittaker and Madelin Sinclair McAusland – offered clarity on where we are and where we are heading. While the EU AI Act has taken a more comprehensive and formalised approach, the UK continues to prioritise innovation, albeit with growing signals that legislation may follow.

Jacob Turner of Fountain Court Chambers reminded the audience that we already have legal frameworks in place such as GDPR, contract law and common law duties that apply to AI. Businesses cannot afford to wait for new regulation to act. Jacob also noted that AI considerations are beginning to feature in M&A transactions, with due diligence increasingly including questions about how target businesses are using AI, the associated risks and the robustness of their governance structures. 

The importance of AI standards was another key theme. While not mandatory, international and industry standards can support compliance, strengthen contractual positions, and reduce litigation risk. Importantly, panellists urged organisations to map AI use across their operations and supply chains, building risk visibility as the foundation of good governance.

Practical Use Cases – AI in Action

General counsel from industries spanning media, insurance and consultancy shared how they are already leveraging AI tools – particularly in automating high-volume, low-risk legal tasks. In some cases, the deployment of AI has halved the time spent on routine contract reviews, with a notable uplift in lawyer satisfaction and capacity for “more meaningful” work.

There was a clear message that successful adoption is not about chasing trends – it is about solving problems. One speaker put it succinctly: 

It’s about asking why we are doing this – why we are using AI – rather than because of FOMO. 

The organisations seeing the most value from AI have focused on specific use cases that deliver meaningful returns.

There was also a candid acknowledgement of the challenges – from ensuring accurate outputs to managing organisational change. The consistent message: success with AI requires a clear purpose, thoughtful implementation and buy-in from across the business.

AI Disputes, Governance and Ethics

Later sessions focused on where legal disputes are starting to emerge, particularly around copyright, data and liability – as well as the need for robust AI governance frameworks. In practice, this means integrating AI oversight into existing risk and compliance functions, developing tailored policies and ensuring that technical, legal and ethical considerations are all accounted for.

The day concluded with a session on ethics and sustainability – raising critical questions about the environmental impact of AI and the risks of using automated systems as the first line of customer engagement.

Looking Ahead 

As the regulatory and commercial environment for AI continues to evolve, Burges Salmon is helping clients turn complexity into clarity.

We advise clients across sectors on AI regulation, governance and commercial risk. Our team is actively contributing to the legal and regulatory conversation, including through our authorship of the upcoming Chambers and Partners UK Jurisdiction AI Review 2025.

We offer tailored AI training programmes covering regulatory developments, contract considerations, governance design and sector-specific insights. Our monthly AI newsletter provides curated updates and commentary and we are hosting a Public Procurement and AI webinar on 29 April 2025. 

If you would like to speak to someone about how Burges Salmon can support your organisation on its AI journey, please get in touch with Shaaf Alam, Tom Whittaker or Madelin Sinclair McAusland.