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Posted Aug. 26, 2026
AI and the law
With the rapid expansion in the uses and abuses of artificial intelligence, the field of AI and the law is also growing at an extremely fast pace, as AI systems increasingly raise questions that existing legal frameworks can’t answer.
In this blog we are going to look at some of the areas for concern when it comes to legal frameworks surrounding artificial intelligence and some of the new Master of Laws degrees that are emerging to tackle these issues.
Regulating AI
Governments around the world need to create rules and regulations based on the risks and issue posed by AI applications. The EU’s AI Act is the first-ever legal framework about artificial intelligence. It addresses the risks posed by AI, positioning Europe to play a leading role in dealing with this issue globally. The AI Act was created in June 2024, to set out risk-based rules for AI developers and deployers surrounding specific uses of AI. The purpose of these rules is to guarantee safety, fundamental rights and human-centric AI all while still encouraging uptake, investment and innovation in AI in the EU. The US doesn’t currently have a comprehensive AI law, instead the individual states are creating their own rules concerning AI use and regulations.
Intellectual property
Intellectual property and copyrighting are massive issues when it comes to generative AI, for starters who actual owns AI-generated material, or can an AI system be considered an author? In which case, can the generative AI content be copyrighted? Other issues include the legality of using copyrighted work to train AI and whether an AI-generated response could actually infringe on someone else’s copyright. All these legal issued are currently still very much under debate.
Data protection and privacy
AI systems tend to need enormous quantities of data which can create legal issues involving personal information such as consent, automated decision-making, individuals' rights over their data. In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law was established in 2018, protecting personal data and giving people control over their personal information. This law was brought in to regulate any business worldwide that handles data from people inside the European Union, and it also applies to AI engines that collect, store or process personal date of EU residents.
Liability of AI
If an AI system causes harm, who is responsible? For example, if a driverless car causes an accident – who or what should foot the bill for the damages? The use of AI in this scenario makes liability and responsibility much more complex areas – is it the fault of the AI developer, manufacturer, deployer, user – or all four? This will only get more complicated with the increasing use of AI, for example what about AI-assisted medical systems – what if a patient is misdiagnosed or given the wrong treatment? This could really unravel in countries with a suing culture – who or what is going to get sued?
AI – the legal implications
The emergence of artificial intelligence in our everyday lives challenges the traditional idea of responsibility – and this is what makes it so hard to understand and regulate from a legal point of view. The law traditionally needs a person or business (legal entity) to be held responsible for decisions, but AI systems can involve many different people and processes, from data providers and large language model developers to software companies and AI deployers, right up to the final user. When you take all of these moving parts into account – who is ultimately responsible when privacy is breeched or if things go wrong?
Master of Laws in AI Law
With all the buzz around AI and its uses, many law schools are now offering Master of Laws programs with specialisms in AI and technology – here are some of the best and most innovative around.
UCL – LLM in Law and Technology
UCL Laws launched a new LLM Law and Technology for 2026-27 to enable students to study the intersection of law, emerging technologies and the evolving rules and regulations. Topics covered include technology law, media and platform regulation, privacy law, data governance and digital rights, algorithmic decision-making and artificial intelligence, competition in digital markets, financial technology, copyright and patent law.
City St George’s, University of London – LLM in Technology, AI and Legal Services
This Master of Laws degree program at City Law School gives students the chance to develop expertise in technology and emerging areas of the law as a result of AI advances. The course explores the impact of innovations including generative AI, AI governance and the creation of deepfakes. This Master of Laws has January and September start dates.
Queen Mary, University of London – LLM in AI and the Law
The LLM AI and the Law at Queen Mary, University of London School of Law explores the legal, technological and ethical issues surrounding AI. It also analyses emerging laws and policy across the globe. It can be studied full time over one year or part time over two years.
University of Edinburgh – LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law
The LLM Innovation, Technology and Law at Edinburgh Law School addresses the opportunities and risks posed by innovation and new technology, exploring the role of the law in regulating and promoting new and emerging technologies. This LLM examines legal, ethical and regulatory issues.
UC Berkeley Law – LLM in AI Law and Regulation
The LLM AI Law and Regulation at this US law school provides an industry-endorsed foundation in AI. The course concentrates on intellectual property, data privacy, licensing and risk.
USC Gould School of Law – LLM in Artificial Intelligence and Technology Law
The Master of Laws in Artificial Intelligence and Technology Law at USC Gould examines the complex legal and regulatory issues arising from the development and deployment of AI and emerging technologies. The key areas explored include privacy, intellectual property, antitrust, technology governance and ethical considerations surrounding AI.
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