The Tethered Bottle Cap Effect: What the EU AI Act Actually Means for the U.K.

We often hear about the Brussels Effect of EU legislation on global markets. For example, the Single-Use Plastics Directive introduced tethered bottle caps across the EU in 2024, but it has also somewhat grudgingly become part of daily life in the U.K. and elsewhere. But what about the EU AI Act? Is it the digital equivalent of the leftover smoothie dripping from the tethered cap onto one’s clothing, or does it facilitate an ethical approach that tackles important AI-related societal and safety issues? Do companies and institutions in the U.K. need to do something about this regulation or can the plastic cap of regulation be torn off the AI bottle with impunity if the regulation does not have direct effect in this country? The expert panel will consider the practical implications for companies and institutions in the U.K. as new rules on high-risk AI systems come into effect across the EU during the summer. The panel will also recommend steps to manage operational, reputational and regulatory risks as the legislation starts to bite. Join us for a lively discussion on what the EU AI will actually mean in the U.K.

What you will learn:

• Practical approaches for identifying and managing regulatory risk in the U.K. related to the EU AI Act.  
• Analysis of the significance of the EU AI Act in the U.K. from its extra-territorial scope to its potential emergence as a de facto regulatory standard.
• How to engage decision makers and budget holders on this topic including the building the business case for meeting the Act's requirements.