Lead partner Campbell Hudson tells Australasian Lawyer about his firm's commitment to support not-for-profit sector
Earlier this month, Dentons publicised its role in helping The Arthritis Movement with the security, IP, regulatory compliance, user agreements and terms of services, and risk management and liability matters related to its AI-powered digital companion app, Clara.
The app was hailed by the firm as an "Australian first". It offers on-demand expert support for arthritis sufferers and was developed with input from health professionals.
The Dentons team was led by partner Campbell Hudson, working together with fellow partners Vanessa Gore and Michael Park; senior associates Antonia Hudson and Natalie Thomas; and solicitor Chloe Tsatsos. In this interview, Hudson tells Australasian Lawyer why the team wanted to lend a hand to the charity and comments on whether existing laws are prepared to deal with AI.
What drew the team to work with The Arthritis Movement on this matter?
Dentons was approached by The Arthritis Movement to assist with this matter on the basis of our capability in advising the not-for-profit sector on a range of issues including IT, data security, cyber risk, and guardrails for AI.
Dentons was drawn to work with The Arthritis Movement as part of our commitment to supporting the not-for-profit sector and in particular the health sector to make a difference to the lives of people who need medical support.
Why in your opinion is addressing the condition of arthritis so important to the community?
Arthritis affects more than four million Australians. This figure will increase as our population grows. Arthritis is the second most common cause of early retirement due to ill-health in Australia, and over 20% of people living with arthritis need daily assistance.
These statistics show that action is needed to help manage and respond to arthritis in Australia. Dentons is privileged to play a small part in addressing the need for a response.
Has working on this matter impacted your opinion of AI? If so, how?
By working with The Arthritis Movement with the develop of their AI tool, Clara, we identified that AI has real and practical benefit for people living with arthritis, especially in remote and regional Australia. Clara plays a key role in addressing the real-life challenges of living with arthritis.
Our work with The Arthritis Movement and their AI tool, Clara highlights the significant potential for the uptake of AI more broadly in the health sector and generally.
What is something you’ve learned about AI through working on this matter that you’ll bring into the way you work as a lawyer?
Dentons has identified that AI expertise is directly relevant to our work with clients. In particular, clients in the not-for-profit and health sectors who can benefit from AI in responding to financial sustainability challenges.
How has working on this matter demonstrated the preparedness of existing laws to deal with AI-related issues?
Dentons’ work identified some key aspects in relation to the intersection of AI and existing laws, namely, privacy laws, anti-discrimination laws, and consumer protection laws. Also, there appears to be possible regulatory gaps in the current AI legal framework. Issues such as algorithmic bias, transparency, and accountability are not comprehensively covered by existing laws.
Dentons continues to monitor these issues as part of our IT and AI practice.
