Enzai and Shoosmiths unveil ground-breaking AI compliance solution

14 October 2024. Belfast, London – Leading law firm Shoosmiths and artificial intelligence (AI) governance software provider Enzai together announce the launch of AI Comply - a first-of-its-kind solution designed to help businesses navigate the complex AI regulatory landscape. Built on Enzai’s powerful AI governance platform, AI Comply combines the AI governance workflows and automations of the Enzai platform with the bespoke guidance of Shoosmiths’ market-leading AI specialist lawyers.

As the adoption of AI technologies surges and AI regulation continues to evolve, businesses using AI technologies will need to adopt more sophisticated compliance frameworks. AI Comply offers businesses a one-stop solution for legal guidance, technology governance, and operational support for oversight and control of their AI ecosystems.

The solution represents a significant leap forward in supporting businesses across the globe, helping them mitigate risks, comply with international regulations, and unlock the full potential of AI by providing a toolkit that is modular, scalable, and adaptable to the needs of organisations of all sizes in all jurisdictions.

Ryan Donnelly, CEO of Enzai, said, “AI Comply seamlessly integrates legal expertise, AI governance, and operational support into one platform. Shoosmiths is the ideal partner for this initiative, given their deep expertise in AI regulation and understanding of the challenges businesses face in this space. Together, we’re bringing clients a powerful tool that simplifies the complexities of AI compliance and gives them the confidence to innovate within the bounds of evolving regulation.”

Response to growing AI regulatory challenges

Around 68% of large companies and 33% of medium-sized companies have already integrated at least one form of AI technology into their operations. However, this growth brings increased regulatory scrutiny, with global AI regulations – such as the EU AI Act and forthcoming UK legislation – placing higher compliance burdens on businesses.

Non-compliance can result in financial penalties (for the EU AI Act, up to €35 million or 7% of global annual turnover) and significant reputational, operational, and litigation risks. According to research from Shoosmiths*, more than 80% of GCs believe AI-related disputes will present a high or moderate risk to their organisation in the next 12 months.

Addressing these challenges, AI Comply helps businesses ensure they meet current and future AI regulations across jurisdictions.

A unique, comprehensive approach to AI compliance

Unlike existing governance tools that provide fragmented and generic solutions, AI Comply combines expert legal advice, advanced AI governance technology, and operations expertise into one seamless platform. AI Comply enables businesses to:

• Understand legal requirements: Shoosmiths’ team of AI specialist lawyers provide tailored guidance, helping businesses stay on top of evolving regulatory frameworks, and the Enzai platform ensures compliance across cross-functional teams at scale.
• Build effective compliance functions: AI Comply helps companies establish accountable, transparent, and fully compliant AI ecosystems by integrating governance processes with industry-specific legal advice.
• Govern AI ecosystems effectively: With Enzai’s governance platform, businesses can upload a comprehensive inventory of their AI models and evaluate their compliance with key regulations via the platform’s compliance framework engine.

The modular nature of AI Comply allows businesses to engage with the solution at any point in their AI governance journey, either by selecting individual components or using the full suite for ultimate oversight. The system also includes ongoing legal support, allowing clients to maintain documentation, receive advice, and address non-compliance issues directly from Shoosmiths’ expert lawyers.

Launched through Shoosmiths EIGHT, the firm’s connected services arm, AI Comply is a testament to Shoosmiths’ commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that blend technology with legal expertise. In September, EIGHT also launched a Legal and Compliance Operations team to provide businesses with one-one-one assistance, including for AI-related challenges.

Tom Speller, director of Shoosmiths EIGHT, said, “AI Comply is the result of a unique partnership between two industry leaders, and it reflects our commitment to innovation in legal services. We understand the regulatory pressures businesses face and are providing a solution that not only offers legal advice but also the technology and operational expertise needed to fully govern AI systems.”

Alex Kirkhope, partner and head of Shoosmiths’ AI Advisory team said, “AI Comply’s capabilities perfectly dovetail with the AI regulatory concerns we’re hearing about from clients as they look to procure and deploy AI systems within their organisations. We’re pleased to offer a solution that’s clearly coming at the right time to simplify and streamline a critical compliance process for businesses.”

*Shoosmiths Litigation Risk Report 2025 (to be published in January 2025): Shoosmiths conducted a survey of 360 GCs and senior lawyers working in technology and telecoms, automotive, financial services, real estate, and other industries. All respondents were located in the UK but worked for predominantly global companies with revenues in excess of £100 million.

About Enzai

Enzai provide an AI governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solution that helps organisations understand and manage the risks that come with AI, while meeting their emerging regulatory obligations. Formed in 2021 by a team of leading lawyers and engineers in the space, Enzai is on a mission to ensure that powerful AI technologies can reach their true potential.

Enzai is backed by Cavalry Ventures, Seedcamp, Techstart Ventures and many other leading investors from the venture capital world. With offices in Belfast, London and New York, Enzai’s customers include market leading members of the Fortune 500.

About Shoosmiths

With more than 1,200 lawyers and support staff and 200-plus partners across 14 offices, Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking, and for our ability to focus on what matters. Our client list speaks volumes for the quality of our lawyers and the experience they provide; from Mercedes-Benz, Octopus Ventures, and Travelodge to property developers and some of the UK's largest banks, we work with a growing number of the FTSE 250 and some of the world's most exciting and ambitious growth businesses. At Shoosmiths, innovation is in our DNA – that’s why the Financial Times recognises us as one of Europe’s most innovative law firms. For more information, visit www.shoosmiths.com.

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