In a new post on the Inside Privacy blog, our colleagues discuss a recent £14 million fine imposed by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office against Capita following a data breach caused by a cyber attack.
Continue Reading ICO Fines Capita £14 Million Over 2023 Data Breach
Quantum-as-a-Service: Practical Considerations for Drafting and Negotiating Agreements
Quantum computing is beginning to move from labs into commercial deployment, and one of the main ways companies will be able to access this technology is through Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) offerings. Instead of companies investing in costly quantum hardware on-site, the QaaS model would allow them to tap into quantum capabilities via remote access services, much like they would with Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) arrangements. But while the delivery model may be akin to the SaaS model, quantum technology is still in its early stages and has unique hardware and infrastructure related challenges, as further described in a recent Covington blog post. Continue Reading Quantum-as-a-Service: Practical Considerations for Drafting and Negotiating Agreements
Harnessing the complementary power of AI and Quantum Computing
Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) continues to command attention as today’s prominent technological asset, revolutionizing key markets and sectors. Simultaneously, discussions of another advanced technology known as quantum computing have gained traction. Because both technologies expand the universe of problems that can be tackled by computers, one might wonder, if we have AI, do we also need
Continue Reading Harnessing the complementary power of AI and Quantum ComputingFCC Launches ‘Space Month’ Agenda
Chairman Brendan Carr of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently declared October 2025 as ‘Space Month’ at the FCC. As part of the FCC’s Build America Agenda, the FCC is scheduled to vote on two proposals aimed at modernizing the agency’s regulatory framework for space innovation in the country. These proposals represent another step
Continue Reading FCC Launches ‘Space Month’ AgendaItaly Adopts Artificial Intelligence Law
On September 23, 2025, the Italian law on artificial intelligence (hereinafter, “Italian AI Law”) was signed into law, after receiving final approval by the Italian Senate on September 17, 2025.
The law consists of varied provisions, including general principles and targeted sectoral rules in certain areas not covered by the EU AI Act. The Italian AI Law will enter into force on October 10, 2025.
We provide below an overview of key aspects of the final text of the Italian AI Law. For full detail, please see our previous blogpost here.Continue Reading Italy Adopts Artificial Intelligence Law
California Governor Signs Landmark AI Safety Legislation
On September 29, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed into law SB 53, the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (“TFAIA”), establishing public safety regulations for developers of “frontier models,” or large foundation AI models trained using massive amounts of computing power. TFAIA is the first frontier model safety legislation in the country to
Continue Reading California Governor Signs Landmark AI Safety Legislation
Quantum Computing: Overview of Drafting Considerations for Quantum-as-a-Service Agreements
Quantum computing is largely in the research and developmental stage, but its commercial use is on the horizon. Due to the high cost and technical complexity of maintaining qubits, companies and individuals likely won’t own quantum computers themselves. Instead, access will mainly come through third-party platforms offering “Quantum-Computing-as-a-Service” (QCaaS) or “Quantum-as-a-Service” (QaaS).
Similar to the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Services (IaaS) models, QaaS would be a remote access service model with a subscription or “pay for what you use” fee structure. The key differentiating factor with QaaS will be the underlying quantum computing infrastructure and the quantum computing algorithm. Due to the similarities between SaaS, IaaS and QaaS models, terms in a typical SaaS or IaaS agreement would be a good starting point for QaaS contracts. However, due to the experimental and volatile nature of quantum computing technology (at least initially), lawyers and legal practitioners should also consider the risks that are unique to quantum computing when drafting or negotiating a QaaS agreement:Continue Reading Quantum Computing: Overview of Drafting Considerations for Quantum-as-a-Service Agreements
Navigating California’s New and Emerging AI Employment Regulations
The California Civil Rights Council and the California Privacy Protection Agency have recently passed regulations that impose requirements on employers who use “automated-decision systems” or “automated decisionmaking technology,” respectively, in employment decisions or certain HR processes. On the legislative side, the California Legislature passed SB 7, which would impose additional obligations on employers who
Continue Reading Navigating California’s New and Emerging AI Employment RegulationsCommerce Department and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Exploring a Patent Tax and Patent Fee Changes
The Trump Administration is considering multiple proposals to raise revenue from patent holders, including direct assessments on patent holders, changes to the existing patent fee schedule, and potentially a new mechanism for sharing profits from university-owned patents obtained through federal research funds.
Patent Tax
First, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is reportedly considering assessing a charge
Continue Reading Commerce Department and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Exploring a Patent Tax and Patent Fee ChangesFCC Takes Action on Certain “Bad Labs”
Earlier this month on September 8, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it was taking an initial set of actions to address threats posed by so-called “bad labs.” “Bad labs” consist of test labs that review and approve radio frequency emitting devices for use in the U.S. but are “ultimately owned or controlled by
Continue Reading FCC Takes Action on Certain “Bad Labs”