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  1. Our thinking
  2. Tech, data and AI: The digital frontier
Tech, data and AI: The digital frontier
At Freshfields, we’re not just keeping up with change; we’re charting the course at the intersection of law and technology. Through insights and thought leadership, we delve into the dynamic issues reshaping industries today and tomorrow, helping clients stay ahead in the digital word.
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Exploring the next era of innovation

At Freshfields, we’re not just keeping pace with change – we’re leading the way. With over 150 technology lawyers across Silicon Valley and key tech hubs in the US, UK, Europe, and Asia, our team is recognized for its expertise, leadership and innovation. We are committed to helping clients navigate the evolving digital world through insights and thought leadership on the issues reshaping industries today and tomorrow.


Our insights are grounded in a deep understanding of how technology is transforming the legal landscape. From medtech to fintech and AI to quantum, we offer practical guidance on the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of law and technology. With lawyers who have led major tech regulation-related investigations, leading tech dealmakers and former senior government advisers, we provide forward-thinking perspectives to help you stay ahead of evolving trends.


Artificial intelligence is reshaping business at unprecedented speed – and the legal landscape is evolving just as fast. Our globally recognized team – regularly leading discussions at major industry events – explores the legal, regulatory, ethical, and operational shifts AI and other emerging technologies bring. We break down the challenges and identify the opportunities, offering clear, practical guidance to help your business adapt and thrive.


Equally important is how data is handled in this digital age. As data regulation and cybersecurity take center stage, our insights explore the latest developments in data protection, digital rights, and regulatory frameworks. We help you navigate the complexities of managing, leveraging and securing data in a world of digital transformation.

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Data, cybersecurity and tech regulation
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Featured insights

Featured insights

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Oct 22 2025

2026 Data law trends

The 2026 Data Law Trends report reveals a world in which businesses confront an increasingly complex, multi-polar regulatory environment.

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Nov 21 2024

2025 Data law trends - Leading the change

The 2025 Data Law Trends report is here, and this year’s findings reveal one thing loud and clear: the pace of change in data law is accelerating, profoundly impacting businesses.

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May 12 2025

UK Online Safety Act Hub

The UK’s Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) is now law. The OSA imposes extensive legal duties on a wide range of internet services, backed by tough fines of up to 10% of global turnover. A phased approach is being taken to its implementation.

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May 13 2025

EU Digital Strategy

The complexity and global reach of this legislation is unprecedented and requires a holistic approach across disciplines. 

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Jan 28 2025

10 Key MedTech Themes for 2025

Note: this article originally ran in MedCity News The MedTech industry is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. As AI reshapes the...
Our thinking

Our thinking

Feb 13 2026
CJEU paves the way for direct challenges to EDPB decisions
In a pivotal ruling delivered on 10 February 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) overturned an earlier order by the...
Feb 12 2026
The FCA launches Mills Review on AI in retail financial services
On 27 January 2026, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched the Mills Review, examining how artificial intelligence (AI) may...
Feb 9 2026
2026 Enforcement Priority: Algorithmic Pricing
Regulators are making it clear that 2026 will be a big year for scrutiny of algorithmic pricing models, the use of personal data and...
Feb 9 2026
UK data protection and ePrivacy reforms take effect: what businesses need to know
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (the DUAA) gained Royal Assent in June 2025. It includes a raft of reforms to the UK’s data protection...
Feb 9 2026
Caught between Brussels and Washington
We were delighted to host AILBA in our Freshfields San Francisco office, bringing together an exceptional panel of speakers — including...
Feb 6 2026
DSA decoded # 10: Algorithmic transparency under the DSA
Recommender systems can shape what users see online every day – from user generated content, personalized ads and suggested communities,...
Feb 6 2026
Consent required? CJEU issues landmark ruling on requirements for marketing emails
In November 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a landmark judgment, providing crucial guidance on the...
Jan 29 2026
AI Training & Copyright Part 2: Text-and-data mining under court scrutiny
Recent caselaw by the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg  (“Kneschke vs. LAION e.V.”) The discussion of the high-stakes question whether –...
Jan 29 2026
AI Training & Copyright Part 1: Text-and-data mining under court scrutiny
Recent Case Law by the Regional Court of Munich (“GEMA vs. Open AI”) Training of large AI models with copyright protected material is a...
Jan 28 2026
AI in the workplace: Outlook for 2026
A new year also means new regulation. In 2026, there are already several anticipated changes in the field of AI that will keep HR and...
Jan 27 2026
EU cybersecurity package: Commission proposes targeted NIS2 amendments and a revised Cybersecurity Act
On 20 January 2026, the European Commission unveiled a comprehensive cybersecurity package designed to strengthen the EU’s resilience...
Jan 26 2026
Freshfields Fintech: Our Predictions for 2026
We have once again canvassed opinions from our Freshfields global fintech team for the year ahead, as we did in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024...
Jan 21 2026
10 Key MedTech Themes for 2026
The MedTech industry is entering 2026 at a pivotal moment. Regulatory complexities, geopolitical tensions, and persistent supply chain...
Jan 21 2026
Tokenisation at Scale: What 2026 Will Deliver
Tokenisation grew to become a hot topic during 2025 and we don’t see signs of interest in tokenising assets slowing down.  In this post,...
Jan 19 2026
Decoding the Cyber Resilience Act – Part 1: Scope and Impact
The Cyber Resilience Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, the CRA) establishes a harmonised EU framework imposing cybersecurity requirements...
Jan 13 2026
The year ahead in financial services: 12 trends to watch in 2026
2025 was another transformative year for the financial services industry. Geopolitical risks arising from conflicts in Ukraine and...
Jan 8 2026
The EU’s proposed Digital Fairness Act: An Online Platform’s Guide to Potential Implications
Online platforms in the EU are regulated by numerous laws, including the Digital Services Act (DSA). In a recent Report on the DSA, the...
Jan 8 2026
How the EU Commission's Digital Omnibus could reshape cookie compliance in Europe
The European Commission’s “Digital Omnibus” proposal, unveiled in November 2025 and still under legislative review, could significantly...
Jan 6 2026
EU AI Act Unpacked – update - A First Look at the Draft Code of Practice for AI-Generated Content
The EU AI Office has taken a significant step towards clarifying transparency requirements for providers and deployers of AI systems...
Jan 5 2026
AI Supply Chain and Security: Congress Mandates Strict Controls for AI acquired by the U.S. Defense Agencies and Intelligence Community
For companies interested in selling AI to U.S. defense and intelligence agencies, the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)...
Dec 18 2025
AI in the workplace: The latest EU moves shaping 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, the European Union has taken significant steps toward shaping the future AI in the workplace. They reflect a...
Dec 18 2025
Digital Fairness Act Public Consultation Analysis: What Stakeholders were asking for and what it means for the proposed DFA?
For those following the European Commission’s (the Commission) public statements on its 2030 consumer agenda one thing has become clear:...
Dec 16 2025
Digital Fairness Fitness Check and Digital Fairness Act Part 9: CPC Regulation
The previous instalments of our blog series focussed on substantive-law topics, such as Dark Patterns, Influencer Marketing, or Automated...
Dec 12 2025
President Trump Issues Executive Order to Centralize AI Policy and Challenge State Regulations
On December 11, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order (“EO”) titled “Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial...
Dec 9 2025
Quantum disentangled #1: “Harvest now, decrypt later” - The quantum threat is already here
While quantum computing promises major benefits, it also poses a less visible but very real security risk that organisations must address...
Oct 23 2025
The EU’s proposed Digital Fairness Act: A content creator’s guide to potential implications
The European Commission (the Commission) is planning a new Digital Fairness Act (DFA). This post examines its potential impact on social...
Oct 21 2025
Tokenising the future: FCA consults on progressing fund tokenisation
On 14 October 2025, the FCA published a consultation paper (CP25/28) setting out its proposals to facilitate the adoption of tokenisation...
Oct 15 2025
EU AI Act unpacked #30: Commission launches consultation on serious AI incident reporting rules
Introduction On 26 September 2025, the European Commission opened a public consultation on its draft guidance and standard reporting...
Oct 8 2025
Personal Data or Not? The CJEU’s (updated) understanding of anonymisation
On 4 September 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a landmark ruling shedding new light on one of the key...
Oct 2 2025
Compliance in a Global AI Market: Examining the Overlaps Between California’s SB 53 and the EU AI Act
On September 29, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 53, the “Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act”...
Oct 2 2025
DSA decoded #7: The small print - terms and conditions
In this edition of DSA decoded, we’re breaking down the requirements for transparency, accountability, and accessibility within terms and...
Sep 29 2025
The EU simplification drive continues at pace – Digital Omnibus is just around the corner
Early in its mandate, the second von der Leyen Commission has demonstrably prioritised regulatory simplification. Following the...
Sep 26 2025
FCA invites discussion on applying its Handbook to cryptoasset firms
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a consultation and discussion paper on 17 September 2025 outlining its proposals for...
Sep 26 2025
FCA publishes proposals for applying its Handbook to cryptoasset firms
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a consultation paper on 17 September 2025 outlining its proposals for applying the...
Sep 25 2025
EU AI Act unpacked #29: Italy moves on AI – above and beyond the EU AI Act?
Italy has become the first EU Member State to adopt a comprehensive AI Framework Law. Approved on 17 September 2025, the statute is not a...
Sep 22 2025
Data Act Essentials #2: What businesses need to know about data access requests from EU authorities
The Data Act, which entered into force on 11 January 2024 and became applicable on 12 September 2025, marks a significant shift in how...
Sep 12 2025
Data Act Essentials #1: The Data Act starts biting – Benchmark your compliance efforts
The Data Act entered into force on 11 January 2024 and most of its provisions apply from 12 September 2025. This landmark regulation...
Sep 11 2025
EU-US Data Privacy Framework survives its first judicial challenge – but more are expected
The EU General Court delivered its much anticipated ruling on a challenge brought by a French politician against the EU-US Data Privacy...
Sep 8 2025
Court of Appeal considers threshold for damage in data protection claims
The Court of Appeal recently handed down its judgment in Farley and Paymaster (Trading as Equiniti), finding there is no de minimis...
Sep 4 2025
When Private Becomes Professional: Italian DPA Sets Limits on Use of Employee Messages
In a decision dated 21 May 2025, the Italian Data Protection Authority (the Garante) addressed a critical and increasingly frequent...
Aug 26 2025
The EU’s Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising Regulation: Guidance to Support the Technical Implementation
Having entered into force on 9 April 2024, with most provisions set to apply from 10 October 2025, the Transparency and Targeting of...
Aug 11 2025
EU AI Act unpacked #28: European Commission releases critical AI Act implementation Guidelines (Part 4) - Prohibited AI Practices
On 4 February 2025, the European Commission (EC) published guidelines on prohibited practices under the EU’s AI Act (the Guidelines). The...
Jul 28 2025
The IDPC’s recent decision on data transfers to China – one-off or broader implications for international data transfers?
The recent €485m fine issued by the Irish Data Protection Commission (IDPC) against TikTok regarding personal data transfers to China...
Jul 25 2025
EU AI Act unpacked #27: Guidelines on the scope of obligations for General-Purpose AI models
On 18 July 2025 the European Commission (EC) published its “Guidelines on the scope of obligations for general-purpose AI models”. While...
Jul 24 2025
The US Government Releases AI Action Plan and Executive Orders on Infrastructure, Exports, and Federal Procurement
On July 23, 2025, President Donald Trump released America’s AI Action Plan (the Action Plan), a policy document setting forth the...
Jul 23 2025
DSA decoded #6: The European Commission Finalises Guidelines on the Protection of Minors: What They Mean For Platforms
The European Commission (EC) published final guidelines on 14 July 2025 (the Guidelines) setting out its interpretation of Article 28(1)...
Jul 21 2025
Paving the way for the Digital Fairness Act: European Commission opens public consultation
On 17 July 2025, the European Commission published its much anticipated public consultation to prepare a new legislative initiative that...
Jul 9 2025
Digital Fitness Check and Digital Fairness Act Part 7: Contract Cancellations and Digital Subscriptions
The Digital Fairness Act is coming soon: With the public consultation for the Digital Fairness Act just around the corner (likely to...
Jul 8 2025
UK data reforms unpacked: implications for AI and other automated decision-making
The UK’s long-anticipated journey to overhaul its data protection landscape has culminated, with the passing of the Data (Use and Access)...
Jul 2 2025
UK data reforms unpacked: the new smart data schemes and what businesses need to know
On 19 June 2025 the UK enacted Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (the DUAA). The DUAA is a wide-ranging and significant reform package with...
Jun 17 2025
EU AI Act unpacked #25: European Commission releases critical AI Act implementation guidelines (Part 3) - Prohibited AI Practices
On 4 February 2024, the European Commission published guidelines on prohibited practices under the EU’s AI Act (Guidelines). While...
Blog
Jun 13 2025
UK finalises data reforms: what businesses need to know

On 11 June 2025 Parliament passed a Bill that will shortly gain Royal Assent and become the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (the DUAA). 

Blog
Jun 13 2025
UK data reforms unpacked: what businesses need to know about changes to data protection and privacy laws

The Data (Use and Access) Act (DUAA) will implement a raft of reforms across the UK data law landscape. 

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