From debunking AI washing to transforming yourself into a Ghibli-style character or superhero action figure, our newsletter is packed with both practical insights and creative AI adventures. Join our new 'Screen Club' to explore the mind-bending philosophical questions raised by Black Mirror's latest season, while staying informed about critical regulatory developments across the African continent.
Whether you're interested in upcoming learning opportunities, the latest in AI governance framework, or simply want to experiment with playful AI prompts, I've got you covered in this edition of Building Future-Ready Lawyers.
AI WASHING: WHEN INNOVATION BECOMES ILLUSION
Last Friday, I had the pleasure of returning to the Nedbank studio to deliver a talk on "AI Washing: When Innovation Becomes Illusion" as part of their compliance event on AI. The live broadcast reached over 3,500 employees, with the recording set to be available to all 30,000 staff members. Working with the wonderful team at Nedbank made the experience even more rewarding!
But what exactly is AI washing? It occurs when companies exaggerate their AI capabilities or label products as "AI-powered" when they contain minimal actual AI technology or underplay the human role in the process. This misleading practice not only deceives consumers but also puts organisations at risk of non-compliance with emerging regulations.
Last year two financial advisory companies were fined by the US SEC for exaggerating the AI capabilities of their products in their advertising and marketing materials. We need to ensure alignment between our technical teams regarding our products' capabilities, and the content our sales and marketing teams are putting into the public domain to attract customers.
When engaging with AI service providers we need to interrogate claims and ask technical questions to ensure we are getting what we pay for.
Have you encountered examples of AI washing?
CREATIVE AI: FROM GHIBLI STYLE TO SUPERHERO ACTION FIGURES
Ghibli-style trend
Have you tried the Ghibli-style trend on ChatGPT? This recent social media phenomenon involves uploading personal photos to ChatGPT and requesting them to be transformed to "Ghibli style."
Studio Ghibli, a renowned Japanese animation studio founded in 1985 by Hayoa Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, is known for classics like "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbour Totoro." The trend became so popular that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on X that their "GPUs are melting" and it led to a record one million new ChatGPT users in a single hour!
However, this trend raises important intellectual property questions. The AI models were trained on datasets including unlicensed Ghibli content without Studio Ghibli's permission. Interestingly, Hayao Miyazaki once stated that AI-generated images are "an insult to life itself."
Weekend Fun: Create Your Own Superhero Action Figure
Looking for a creative weekend prompt? Try this: Ask ChatGPT to "Draw a picture of me as a real-life action figure. Be as specific as possible and put multiple interesting things that represent who I am inside the packaging. Put it in a clear blister package with items representing me."
I've experimented with different variations of this prompt and found some delightful results.
Why not give it a try? Playful experimentation is the best way to learn. Be mindful that when uploading your personal photos it may be added to the underlying training data for ChatGPT.
BLACK MIRROR SEASON 7: JOIN OUR SCREEN CLUB!
Have you watched Black Mirror Season 7 yet? (No spoilers here)
This season explores fascinating themes around consciousness and quantum reality, raising profound questions:
- Can consciousness be digitally created, moved, or replicated?
- Can it grow and learn?
- Can it be copied and pasted?
- Can we become emotionally attached to digital consciousness?
- What rights should digitally conscious 'beings' have?
- How do we balance quality of consciousness versus quality of life?
- What are the ethics of immersing consciousness into a digital realm?
I'm excited to announce the launch of our LITT Screen Club (a book club for series!) to discuss these episodes, themes, and questions. If you're interested in joining, please reply to this newsletter or mail me at [email protected].
AI IN AFRICA: POLICY DEVELOPMENTS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
African Commission Draft Study on AI and Human Rights
The African Commission is currently seeking input on its draft study on artificial intelligence and human rights in Africa. This is a critical opportunity to shape the future of AI policy on our continent. I encourage all stakeholders to contribute their perspectives. More info can be found here.
Vodacom Group External Affairs Leadership Session
I recently had the honour of addressing Vodacom Group's External Affairs Senior Leadership Team at their strategy session on "Unlocking Africa's AI Future: Trends, Regulation and Responsible Innovation."
Our discussion covered the latest in AI agents and its implications for work, global regulatory trends, and Africa policy developments, including the recent Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence signed on 4 April 2025.
I concluded with my framework of the 3 E's to navigate digital transformation:
- Education: Stay informed and updated
- Exploration: Embrace curiosity and playful experimentation
- Empathy: Leverage your "human" advantage
Would you like to learn more about the 3 E's?
AI in Africa Event with ACGC, Clifford Chance, and Microsoft
On 24 March, I had the privilege of speaking at the ACGC (African Corporate and Government Counsel Forum) AI in Africa event sponsored by Clifford Chance and hosted at Microsoft.
I joined the Fireside Chat: AI Governance - A Call to Action for Leaders alongside Dumisani Sondlo (Department of Communications and Technologies), Berenice Thaver (MTN) and Jennifer Chimanga (Clifford Chance) where we discussed upcoming AI policy development, governance best practices, and future outlook.
It was insightful to hear from Dumisani about the latest developments in the South African AI Policy development. The first draft of the policy that was published last year focused on 9 pillars, the new draft has now expanded to 14 pillars. This draft has taken into consideration all the feedback and comments received from stakeholders in November last year. It is currently with the Minister for signature and we eagerly await its publication.
TechCabal Feature on SA's AI Policy Framework
I was recently quoted in TechCabal regarding South Africa's AI policy landscape: "At the moment, there is a lot of uncertainty. The biggest task would be to provide a clear and actionable roadmap to guide the country's AI policy direction and regulatory intent."
I emphasized that "we do not have many years to debate the way forward. Investors want to know what the landscape looks like. Early movers often gain a first-mover advantage."
UPCOMING EVENTS
AI Governance Webinar with Escrowsure
- Date & Time: 7 May 2025 @ 11am to 12pm SAST
- Featuring: Nerushka Bowan (LITT Institute) & Guy Krige (ESCROWSURE)
- Registration: Secure your free seat
Legal Tech Bootcamp with Leah Molatseli, Contracts Alchemist & Baker McKenzie (the LITT Institute is a proud Education Partner)
- Date & Time: 29 May 2025 @ 8:30am to 4:30pm SAST
- Options:
- In-person: register here (Baker McKenzie offices in JHB)
- Virtual: register here
- Investment: Free for in-house counsel (registration is subject to approval)
- Featuring: Leah Molatseli, Nerushka Bowan, Anna Posthumus Meyjes, Naomi Thompson, Godwin Dzvuke, Gerhard Roux
- Special offer: In-house counsel who register for the free Legal Tech Bootcamp will receive an exclusive 15% discount on the LITT Institute's #GenAI Legal Accelerator taking place on 10-13 June.
AI and Privacy Webinar with Juta
- Date & Time: 10 June 2025 @ 3pm to 5pm SAST
- Featuring: Ilze Hattingh & Sarah Bueger (Novation Consulting), Johan Steyn (AI for Business), Nerushka Bowan (LITT Institute)
- Investment: R700 per attendee (including VAT) (*free for existing POPIA Portal subscribers)
- Registration: Secure your seat
- Special offer: included in your registration fee:
- Two-week free trial access to Juta's POPIA Portal
- 6-month subscription to Legalbrief eLaw
- 1-month subscription Contractzone POPIA Library
#GenAI Legal Accelerator - Cohort 8
- Dates: 10-13 June 2025
- Format: 12 hours of online live interactive sessions (10am to 1pm SAST each day)
- Investment: US$444 / ZAR7,950 (including VAT)
- Registration: Learn more here
FINAL THOUGHTS
As AI continues to transform our legal landscape, staying informed, exploring new possibilities, and maintaining our human empathy become increasingly vital. I'm passionate about helping you navigate this rapidly evolving terrain.
What AI topics would you like to see covered in future newsletters? Drop me a line and let me know!
Until next time,
Nerushka
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