From deregulatory policy shifts to rapidly advancing AI technologies, the standardization community is facing pressing legal issues that impact its work across sectors. ANSI and its constituents explored these critical topics at the 2025 Legal Issues Forum, as part of the ANSI Innovation Summit.
The October 23 event, held in Rockville, MD, brought together over 100 stakeholders for two expert panel sessions, as well as morning and afternoon keynote presentations.
Miranda Means, partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, provided a high-level overview of the legal landscape surrounding copyright and AI as the morning keynote speaker. With a review of relevant cases, Means noted that there’s no pending federal legislation that will solve all questions concerning AI and copyright—and its not likely that there will be such legislation in the coming years. In the meantime, the private sector is working to develop solutions to fill the gaps with standards and business solutions.
The morning panel, Navigating the Emerging Frontier of Artificial Intelligence, was a deep dive into the evolving legal and regulatory landscape of emerging AI governance frameworks, intellectual property implications for AI-generated content, and the development of industry standards and conformity assessment processes. Attendees heard from moderator Andrew Updegrove, partner, Gesmer Updegrove LLP, and panelists Laura Caroli, senior fellow, Wadhwani AI Center, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); George B. Davis, counsel, McGuireWoods LLP; Brian Scarpelli, senior global policy counsel, ACT: The App Association; and Fabio Thiers, AI task force chair, ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Speakers explored the unique nature of AI that will impact copyright legislation – the technology and the user must both be considered. Discussions centered on the connection to standards developers. How can standards support innovation as well as responsible and trustworthy AI, and how can standards developers protect their copyrighted works from potential loss due to LLMs?
Cary Coglianese, Edward B. Shils professor of law and professor of political science, and director, Penn Program on Regulation, University of Pennsylvania, delivered the afternoon keynote remarks. Coglianese provided a detailed exploration of deregulation in recent administrations, explaining that it’s unlikely that the current administration will develop regulation in new domains like AI and cryptocurrency.
Pioneering the New Wild West: Standards and Self-Governance After Deregulation focused on a key question that has emerged in light of change: In the absence of regulation, is there a greater need for standards and conformity assessment? Moderator Justus Baron, research director at Northwestern University, Center on Law, Business, and Economics, led the discussion with panelists Emily Hammond, Glen Earl Weston research professor of law, faculty director of academic sustainability programs, GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future, The George Washington University; John Kemler, principal, regulatory and compliance risk, KPMG in the U.S.; Heidi King, principal consultant, Heidi King Consulting; and Jeffrey Lubbers, professor of practice in administrative law, Fellow in Law and Government, American University. Speakers discussed opportunities and challenges amid deregulation: increased potential for innovation, uncertainty leading to decreased investment, lack of consumer trust, and exposure to liability risk, among others. The standards community may see more support and interest from the private sector as they seek guidance and security. Building and maintaining relationships with public sector agencies remains paramount.
Presentations from this event will be posted at ansi.org/Summit in the coming weeks.
ANSI thanks all speakers, moderators, panelists, and attendees for participating in this event.
