The EU's comprehensive data and AI regulatory package is about to become operational. This year, the Krogerus Data Symposium will highlight some of the most impactful changes of the Data Act and the AI Act, which will profoundly influence the application of AI, how companies and communities can utilise IoT data, and how data usage agreements are formed. Join us at the Data Symposium on 23 October at Bio Rex Lasipalatsi to gain valuable insights on how to prepare to the upcoming changes!

Register by 8 October

Date & time: Wednesday, 23 October 2024, 9 am to 6.30 pm
Venue: Bio Rex Lasipalatsi, Mannerheimintie 22–24, 00100 Helsinki

The Krogerus Data Symposium is one of Finland's largest events focusing on data and AI regulation and utilisation, bringing together hundreds of experts and professionals in the field. The event is organised in partnership with the Technology Industries of Finland. Participation is free of charge, and all those interested in data and AI regulation are welcome to attend. The entire programme for this year's event will be conducted in English.

The regulations are final and here to stay – companies need to start preparing

The Data Act and the AI Act are both part of the EU's comprehensive data regulatory package which aims to make the EU a leader in a data-driven society and to ensure AI utilisation while protecting fundamental rights. Both regulations are already in force, and the Data Act will become applicable in September 2025, which means that companies only have a year left to prepare. The AI Act has finally been approved, and it will become applicable gradually, starting in February 2025.

What to expect from Data Symposium's programme?

This year, the Data Symposium's programme will highlight some of the more practical challenges that the Data Act and the AI Act will present to companies' operations. In particular, we will discuss the contractual, intellectual property and competition law implications of the new regulations.

Together with our guest speakers, we will provide expert perspectives and practical insights on how to prepare for the upcoming changes. We will, for example, discuss:

• the strategic implications of the AI revolution with Tero Ojanperä (Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Silo AI),
• IP and data rights in the new world of AI with Ingrid Viitanen (VP, General Counsel Strategy & Technology at Nokia) and Lauri Rechardt (Chief Legal Officer, IFPI),
• the aims, content and status of the model contractual terms for data sharing under the Data Act with Univ-Prof Dr. Christiane Wendehorst (Professor of Civil Law at University of Vienna), with industry comments from Jussi Mäkinen (Director, EU Regulation, Technology Industries of Finland),
• the status of the national implementation of the Data Act with Anna Aurora Wennäkoski (Senior Specialist at the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications),
• insights on competition law issues in the AI regulatory landscape with Morris Schonberg, (Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills), and
• competing digital governance models in the US, China and the EU through Anu Bradford and her recent book Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology. (Anu is a Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organization and Director of the European Legal Studies Center at Columbia Law School.)

How will the Data Act and the AI Act impact companies' operations?

Previously, companies have been able to govern freely how they use data generated by their IoT products and have had limited access to that of others. The Data Act will change this by requiring companies to agree with users on how they can utilise the generated data and to share data even with third parties should the users request it. Companies will have to determine:

• which products generate such data,
• what kind of technical infrastructure is needed in order to share data,
• how to manage individual requests and create a contractual framework for sharing data, and
• how to protect trade secrets and business interests while sharing this data.

The AI Act, on the other hand, prohibits certain uses of AI that, for example, exploit people in vulnerable positions or use subliminal technologies designed to impact people without their knowledge. The AI Act will require companies to define the different use cases of their AI systems, to identify their roles in the AI supply chain and to categorise these systems in order to identify which of them fall under the strictest regulatory requirements. Companies also need to consider contractual responsibilities in the supply chains related to the acquisition or selling of AI-based systems.

"Companies need to start examining how broadly the acts will affect their operations, and how to modify their compliance processes in order to secure their business interests in the face of these new regulations. These regulatory changes may also require companies to make significant investments and modify existing operating models in order to be able to document, manage, and ensure data flows, all the while protecting their security concerns and trade secrets", says Senior Associate Iiris Rantanen from our Technology, Data & IP practice. "At the same time, businesses whose personnel understand these regulations at an early stage will ensure lasting results in their data and AI development projects and can benefit from the market opportunities these regulations create", Iiris adds.

Join the Data Symposium to hear insights on the upcoming regulatory changes and to network with other experts

The idea of sharing data and creating a single market for data with collective rules in all EU countries is a completely new way of thinking. This not only proposes challenges to companies but also raises questions from the legislative perspective regarding how to fit the new regulation into the existing legal frameworks and how it will be built into our national legislation.

"With the Data Symposium, we wanted to create a platform where attendees can learn from one another, share their experiences and discover new opportunities for collaboration around data and AI", say Krogerus' Technology, Data & IP practice's Partners Kalle Hynönen and Pessi Honkasalo. "We aim to bring together experts from academia, the business world and various organisations to highlight different perspectives on the upcoming regulatory changes. Companies not only need to start actively prepare and plan for the implementation of the new regulations, but they should also start thinking about the new business opportunities and possibilities for innovation that data sharing and developments around artificial intelligence will present."

Register by 8 October

Registration is open until Tuesday, 8 October or until the event is fully booked. Read more about the event and register on the Data Symposium's website!