UK law firm Shoosmiths has partnered with Enzai to provide an AI governance service for clients so they can know where they are on compliance issues when they tap LLMs within their business. It has been launched through Shoosmiths’ EIGHT group, the firm’s connected services arm.
The system called AI Comply ‘combines the AI governance workflows and automations of the Enzai platform with the bespoke guidance of Shoosmiths’ lawyers’. The firm said that the productised service offers a ‘one-stop solution for legal guidance, technology governance, and operational support for oversight and control of their AI ecosystems’.
Is this a big deal? Well, it certainly must be tricky to figure out what to do for some companies given that the UK, since Brexit, is outside of the EU AI Act – at least where the business doesn’t operate directly within Europe. Moreover, the UK’s own legislation is still in ‘preparation’ phase and who knows what it will look like when it finally arrives.
Meanwhile in the US, there is a growing patchwork of regulations and wannabe regulations that are still in deep debate, not to mention where everyone else on the rest of the planet is with this. So, a complex and evolving regulatory picture.
But, is this needed now? Shoosmiths says that ‘around 68% of large companies and 33% of medium-sized companies have already integrated at least one form of AI technology into their operations’. So, yes, is the answer.
And if you’ve not heard of Enzai before, this is how they describe themselves: Enzai provides an AI governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solution [and was] formed in 2021 by a team of leading lawyers and engineers.
So, there you go. And here’s what AI Comply, based upon Enzai, does for you:
- ‘Understand legal requirements: Shoosmiths’ team of AI specialist lawyers provide tailored guidance, helping businesses stay on top of evolving regulatory frameworks, and the Enzai platform ensures compliance across cross-functional teams at scale.
- Build effective compliance functions: AI Comply helps companies establish accountable, transparent, and fully compliant AI ecosystems by integrating governance processes with industry-specific legal advice.
- Govern AI ecosystems effectively: With Enzai’s governance platform, businesses can upload a comprehensive inventory of their AI models and evaluate their compliance with key regulations via the platform’s compliance framework engine.’
Tom Speller, director of Shoosmiths EIGHT, said: ‘AI Comply is the result of a unique partnership between two industry leaders, and it reflects our commitment to innovation in legal services. We understand the regulatory pressures businesses face and are providing a solution that not only offers legal advice but also the technology and operational expertise needed to fully govern AI systems.’
Alex Kirkhope, partner and head of Shoosmiths’ AI Advisory team, added: ‘AI Comply’s capabilities perfectly dovetail with the AI regulatory concerns we’re hearing about from clients as they look to procure and deploy AI systems within their organisations. We’re pleased to offer a solution that’s clearly coming at the right time to simplify and streamline a critical compliance process for businesses.’
And Ryan Donnelly, CEO of Enzai, concluded: ‘AI Comply seamlessly integrates legal expertise, AI governance, and operational support into one platform. Shoosmiths is the ideal partner for this initiative, given their deep expertise in AI regulation and understanding of the challenges businesses face in this space. Together, we’re bringing clients a powerful tool that simplifies the complexities of AI compliance and gives them the confidence to innovate within the bounds of evolving regulation.’
It looks like whether law firms really embrace AI or not, they’ll be advising on its use, that’s for sure.