Jacob Turner

Jacob Turner speaker on the ethics and law of artificial intelligence, generative AI, and intellectual property.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence presents unprecedented challenges for society, new ethical dilemmas, and a need for innovation in regulatory policy and law. International lawyer, speaker, and writer, Jacob Turner, advises businesses and governments on the regulation and governance of AI. He is the author of Robot Rules: Regulating Artificial Intelligence (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018) – a definitive work on why AI is unique, what problems it can cause, and how we can begin to solve them.

Robot Rules is described by Lord Neuberger, former President of the UK Supreme Court as ‘timely, thought-provoking and significant’. Lord Clement-Jones, Chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on AI describes it as ‘superb’. Professor Stuart Russell calls it ‘essential reading for anyone involved in creating, managing, or regulating AI systems.’

Jacob’s advice on AI ethics and law is sought by governments and their regulators around the world as well as by business. He works alongside numerous law firms and directly with clients. This includes a novel AI ethics compliance and advisory service in partnership with global law firm Simmons & Simmons and consultancy Best Practice AI. His recent work has included advising a national government on the drafting of new AI regulation, training of the judiciary in two countries in respect of AI, and advising a major asset management firm and a significant venture capital firm on their AI and data policies. He is currently advising the UK Government on a variety of issues relating to AI liability, regulation and risk. Jacob also acted in the UK Supreme Court on the ‘AI Inventor’ case: Thaler v Patent Office.

At the invitation of the United Nations he has addressed the government and military of China on artificial intelligence and the implications for national security. He has also now delivered speeches at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and at UNESCO in Paris.

In private practice, Jacob has acted for sovereign states including Argentina, Greece, Iraq, and Russia. He is a former speechwriter to a UK Supreme Court Justice and to an Ambassador to the United Nations. Jacob holds degrees in law from both Oxford and Harvard.

Jacob’s recent engagements on AI include events at the European Commission, in UK Parliamentary Committees, and the University of Cambridge, as well as at law firms, insurance companies, and businesses in the tech industry speaking on AI law and regulations and AI ethics.

‘Robot Rules’ is published by Palgrave Macmillan