Today, the major AI‑law movement combines new rules taking effect in California with Europe sharpening implementation tools. Meanwhile, Germany moves to tie AI into its economic revival strategy.
News
Germany’s cabinet approved a digital modernisation agenda that leans heavily on AI to reduce red tape in public services. Reuters
Europe is plotting to build a $1 trillion AI champion, with Swedish firms at the forefront. Financial Times
California’s new AI transparency law, SB 53, is now in force, obliging large AI developers to disclose safety frameworks and report significant incidents. AP News+2The Verge+2
Regulation
California – AI & Employment
As of 1 October 2025, California’s rules under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) govern use of automated decision systems (ADS) in employment. Employers must avoid discrimination, run bias audits, and retain records for four years. National Law Review+4JD Supra+4California Employers Association+4
The rules extend beyond “advanced AI” to any computational system used in hiring, promotion or other employment decisions. Mayer Brown+3Jackson Lewis+3Paul Hastings+3
European Union – Serious Incident Reporting
The European Commission published draft guidance and a template for serious incident reporting under the EU AI Act. Stakeholders may comment until 7 November 2025. Taylor Wessing
Events
Norton Rose Fulbright is hosting a “European AI and Data Protection Conference” in London today (09:00–14:00 BST). Norton Rose Fulbright
eu‑LISA is holding a high‑level conference on Strategic Autonomy and European border security with AI dimension. Facebook
Academia
Red Teaming AI Policy: A Taxonomy of Avoision and the EU AI Act offers a framework for how firms may navigate, finesse or push the boundaries of compliance under the EU AI Act. arXiv
Scoring the European Citizen in the AI Era analyses how the EU’s ban on social scoring may operate in practice, and whether it can curb opaque evaluation systems. arXiv
Confronting Catastrophic Risk: The International Obligation to Regulate AI argues for a duty under international law to address existential AI threats via preventive regulation. arXiv
Business
German industry is watching closely as the federal government’s AI‑driven bureaucracy reduction plan aims to cut red tape and stimulate business growth. Reuters
Stakeholders in Europe are debating whether to build “unicorn” AI firms or sell early — the tension between scale and exit is increasingly visible. Financial Times
Following SB 53’s enactment, commentators are assessing how meaningful transparency rules might shift AI investment and responsibility norms. AP News+3Vox+3PYMNTS.com+3
Adoption of AI
Europe’s adoption remains nascent: only about 13 % of EU firms currently use AI, raising concerns over the effectiveness and incentive structure of the EU’s new AI Office. The Parliament Magazine
According to ENISA, AI‑powered phishing campaigns now account for over 80 % of observed social engineering attacks — a stark indicator that AI adoption in cybercrime is outpacing regulation. ENISA
In the legal tech world, ArtificialLawyer reports growing debate over how much of legal work (up to 80 %) might be automated by 2027. Artificial Lawyer
Takeaway
Today underlines a shift from rules on paper to rules in practice. California’s employment AI regime becomes live, the EU equips firms with tools for compliance, and Germany bets on AI to drive public sector efficiency. The stage is set for a test: will firms adapt or evade?
Sources: Reuters, Financial Times, AP News, The Verge, Vox, National Law Review+3JD Supra+3Jackson Lewis+3, Taylor Wessing, Norton Rose Fulbright, Facebook, arXiv, arXiv, arXiv, ENISA, The Parliament Magazine, Artificial Lawyer.