What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

The most important challenge to face has been to redefine the role of the in-house legal department in the field. The in-house legal department of a large corporation is no longer classified as a back-office service, our role is clearly leading, our internal clients need us on the front line, by their side, actively participating in business decision-making, identifying risks, managing contingencies and promptly activating the measures envisioned by law to keeping active the license to operate and commercialise.

This repositioning of our role as legal advisors at the core of the business commits us to keep up with our stakeholders and be quick enough to provide the most timely, high-quality legal advice possible. At the height of the digital transformation and opening new lines of business in this line, with approaches that go beyond the borders of the traditional channels where we used to act, they challenge us permanently and inexhaustibly to be one step ahead.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Legal technology solutions are here to stay and will increasingly take on a leading role in our day-to-day roles. Artificial intelligence and data analytics must be used by us as legal operators and it is our duty to discover the best way to take advantage of it. Technology frees us from those activities that add less value to our deliverables and allow us to focus precisely on what is most appreciated by our internal clients and where going the extra mile is a critical success factor.

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?

Despite the fact that artificial intelligence and machine learning have the potential to become great allies in the continuous improvement of the legal services we offer, we must take due care. There is no doubt that the consequences derived from the misinformation spread by AI will lead to considerable damages and losses, countless lawsuits that will surely have very complex features.

In the words of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company that develops ChatGPT, “I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong. And we want to be vocal about that,” he said. “We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening.” That is why he proposed the creation of an agency that grants licenses for the development of AI models on a large scale, safety regulations and tests that AI models must pass before being released to the public.

I fully agree with Altman on the concern expressed before the United States Capitol Hill and a subcommittee of the Senate, regarding the need to regulate AI and establish an agency that grants operating licenses for those who seek to offer artificial intelligence solutions, establishing mechanisms of security and control in the provision of AI solutions. Along the same line, European Union lawmakers are set to introduce rules for the technology later this year, and China has enacted AI laws that comply with its censorship laws.