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21 July 2023
Issue: 8034 / Categories: Legal News , Cyber , Technology , Libel , Defamation , Artificial intelligence
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NLJ this week: Electric dreams, AI confabulations & defamation law

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Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are known to ‘hallucinate’, making up false information or confabulating to fill gaps in their knowledge. But who is responsible in law for any libel or harm caused as a result? In this week’s NLJ, Chloe Flascher, associate at Withers, addresses this fascinating conundrum.

The lies and dreams of machines can cause real world risks. As Flascher writes: ‘ChatGPT recently invented a sexual harassment scandal, naming a real law professor as the accused (citing a fake Washington Post article as evidence in support of the allegation). Not only did no such article exist, but the real professor had never been accused of harassing a student, nor had he been present on the trip to Alaska described by the chatbot during which the purported sexual harassment took place.’

Flascher explores potential defamatory scenarios arising from generative AI, and analyses how this might be dealt with under current laws—read the full article here.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Orwins—Maryam Abbasi

Orwins—Maryam Abbasi

Senior associate joins family law team in London

Tees Law—Stephen Williams

Tees Law—Stephen Williams

Firm appoints chief financial officer as it expands Essex office footprint

Winckworth Sherwood—David Fendt

Winckworth Sherwood—David Fendt

Restructuring and insolvency practice strengthened by partner hire

NEWS
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming legal practice, but its successful adoption depends as much on culture as technology
Pastries may be in the firing line while kebabs escape scrutiny, but the reality is far more nuanced
The fallout from Lord Mandelson’s appointment and dismissal as UK ambassador to Washington raises profound questions about constitutional governance, accountability and political appointments
Non-court dispute resolution is no longer an alternative in family law—it is rapidly becoming the norm
A landmark ruling has delivered the first judicial application of the UK’s anti-SLAPP regime and provided fresh guidance on abusive litigation
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