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Google on Monday showed off a new quantum computing chip that it said was a major breakthrough that could bring practical quantum computing closer to reality. A custom chip called "Willow" does in minutes what it would take leading supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete, according to Google Quantum AI founder Hartmut Neven. "Written out, there is a 1 with 25 zeros," Neven said of the time span while briefing journalists. "A mind-boggling number." Neven's team of about 300 people at Google is on a mission to build quantum computing capable of handling otherwise unsolvable problems like safe fusion power and stopping climate change. "We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design and more," said Google CEO Sundar Pichai on X. A quantum computer that can tackle these challenges is still years away, but Willow marks a significant step in that direction, according to Neven and members of his team. While still in its early stages, scientists believe that superfast quantum computing will eventually be able to power innovation in a range of fields. Quantum research is seen as a critical field and both the United States and China have been investing heavily in the area, while Washington has also placed restrictions on the export of the sensitive technology. Olivier Ezratty, an independent expert in quantum technologies, told AFP in October that private and public investment in the field has totaled around $20 billion worldwide over the past five years. Regular computers function in binary fashion: they carry out tasks using tiny fragments of data known as bits that are only ever either expressed as 1 or 0. But fragments of data on a quantum computer, known as qubits, can be both 1 and 0 at the same time -- allowing them to crunch an enormous number of potential outcomes simultaneously. Crucially, Google's chip demonstrated the ability to reduce computational errors exponentially as it scales up -- a feat that has eluded researchers for nearly 30 years. The breakthrough in error correction, published in leading science journal Nature, showed that adding more qubits to the system actually reduced errors rather than increasing them -- a fundamental requirement for building practical quantum computers. Error correction is the "end game" in quantum computing and Google is "confidently progressing" along the path, according to Google director of quantum hardware Julian Kelly. gc/arp/bjthow to withdraw ye7 。

CLAYTON, Mo. , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As previously announced, Olin Corporation OLN will host an Investor Day on Thursday, December 12 from 9:00am – 12:00pm (ET). Ken Lane , President & CEO, and Todd Slater , SVP & CFO, will be joined by other members of the Executive Leadership Team to present an in-depth overview of Olin's strategic vision, including its value-first commercial approach, deep dives into each business, disciplined capital allocation strategy, and updated financial targets. The event will also include an opportunity for in-person and virtual attendees to ask questions during a Q&A session. In person attendance is limited to pre-registered attendees only, however, a live webcast of the event as well as the supporting materials will be available via Olin's website. See below for details. Webcast Details A live webcast will be accessible from www.olin.com . A replay of the 2024 Investor Day will be available within 24 hours of the event's conclusion. Presentation Slides Presentation slides will be available at the time of the event and may be accessed via the Investor Events page on the Olin website. COMPANY DESCRIPTION Olin Corporation is a leading vertically integrated global manufacturer and distributor of chemical products and a leading U.S. manufacturer of ammunition. The chemical products produced include chlorine and caustic soda, vinyls, epoxies, chlorinated organics, bleach, hydrogen, and hydrochloric acid. Winchester's principal manufacturing facilities produce and distribute sporting ammunition, law enforcement ammunition, reloading components, small caliber military ammunition and components, industrial cartridges, and clay targets. Visit www.olin.com for more information on Olin. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on management's beliefs, certain assumptions made by management, forecasts of future results, and current expectations, estimates and projections about the markets and economy in which we and our various segments operate. The statements contained in this communication that are not statements of historical fact may include forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We have used the words "anticipate," "intend," "may," "expect," "believe," "should," "plan," "outlook," "project," "estimate," "forecast," "optimistic," "target," and variations of such words and similar expressions in this communication to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's intent to repurchase, from time to time, the Company's common stock. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those matters expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future events, new information or otherwise. The payment of cash dividends is subject to the discretion of our board of directors and will be determined in light of then-current conditions, including our earnings, our operations, our financial conditions, our capital requirements and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. In the future, our board of directors may change our dividend policy, including the frequency or amount of any dividend, in light of then-existing conditions. The risks, uncertainties and assumptions involved in our forward-looking statements, many of which are discussed in more detail in our filings with the SEC, including without limitation the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 , and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other reports furnished or filed with the SEC, include, but are not limited to, the following: Business, Industry and Operational Risks sensitivity to economic, business and market conditions in the United States and overseas, including economic instability or a downturn in the sectors served by us; declines in average selling prices for our products and the supply/demand balance for our products, including the impact of excess industry capacity or an imbalance in demand for our chlor alkali products; unsuccessful execution of our strategic operating model, which prioritizes Electrochemical Unit (ECU) margins over sales volumes; failure to identify, attract, develop, retain and motivate qualified employees throughout the organization and ability to manage executive officer and other key senior management transitions; failure to control costs and inflation impacts or failure to achieve targeted cost reductions; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers for specified feedstock and services and our reliance on third-party transportation; the occurrence of unexpected manufacturing interruptions and outages, including those occurring as a result of labor disruptions and production hazards; exposure to physical risks associated with climate-related events or increased severity and frequency of severe weather events; availability of and/or higher-than-expected costs of raw material, energy, transportation, and/or logistics; the failure or an interruption, including cyber-attacks, of our information technology systems; our inability to complete future acquisitions or joint venture transactions or successfully integrate them into our business; risks associated with our international sales and operations, including economic, political or regulatory changes; our indebtedness and debt service obligations; weak industry conditions affecting our ability to comply with the financial maintenance covenants in our senior credit facility; adverse conditions in the credit and capital markets, limiting or preventing our ability to borrow or raise capital; the effects of any declines in global equity markets on asset values and any declines in interest rates or other significant assumptions used to value the liabilities in, and funding of, our pension plans; our long-range plan assumptions not being realized, causing a non-cash impairment charge of long-lived assets; Legal, Environmental and Regulatory Risks changes in, or failure to comply with, legislation or government regulations or policies, including changes regarding our ability to manufacture or use certain products and changes within the international markets in which we operate; new regulations or public policy changes regarding the transportation of hazardous chemicals and the security of chemical manufacturing facilities; unexpected outcomes from legal or regulatory claims and proceedings; costs and other expenditures in excess of those projected for environmental investigation and remediation or other legal proceedings; various risks associated with our Lake City U.S. Army Ammunition Plant contract and performance under other governmental contracts; and failure to effectively manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and related regulations, including climate change and sustainability. All of our forward-looking statements should be considered in light of these factors. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we consider immaterial could affect the accuracy of our forward-looking statements. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reminder-to-join-olin-corporations-investor-day-on-december-12-2024-302326685.html SOURCE Olin Corporation © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.LONDON (AP) — A woman who claimed mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) on Friday by a civil court jury in Ireland. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced the woman to do anything against her will and said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. His lawyer had called Hand a gold digger. The fighter, once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship but now past his prime, shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men returned the verdict after deliberating for about six hours in the High Court in Dublin. He was mobbed by cameras as he left court but did not comment. He later said on the social platform X that he would appeal the verdict and the “modest award.” Hand's voice cracked and her hands trembled as she read a statement outside the courthouse, saying she would never forget what happened to her but would now be able to move on with her life. She thanked her family, partner, friends, jurors, the judge and all the supporters that had reached out to her online, but particularly her daughter. “She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice,” she said. “I want to show (her) and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” The Associated Press generally does not name alleged victims of sexual violence unless they come forward publicly, as Hand has done. Under Irish law, she did not have the anonymity she would have been granted in a criminal proceeding and was named publicly throughout the trial. Her lawyer told jurors that McGregor was angry about a fight he had lost in Las Vegas two months earlier and took it out on his client. “He’s not a man, he’s a coward,” attorney John Gordon said in his closing speech. “A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.” Gordon said his client never pretended to be a saint and was only looking to have fun when she sent McGregor a message through Instagram after attending a Christmas party. He said Hand knew McGregor socially and that they had grown up in the same area. She said he picked her and a friend up in a car and shared cocaine with them, which McGregor admitted in court, on the way to the Beacon Hotel. Hand said she told McGregor she didn't want to have sex with him and that she was menstruating. She said she told him “no” as he started kissing her but he eventually pinned her to a bed and she couldn't move. McGregor put her in a chokehold and later told her, “now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times,” referring to a UFC match when he had to admit defeat, she said. Hand had to take several breaks in emotional testimony over three days. She said McGregor threatened to kill her during the encounter and she feared she would never see her young daughter again. Eventually, he let go of her. “I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again,” she testified. She said she then let him do what he wanted and he had sex with her. A paramedic who examined Hand the next day testified that she had never before seen someone with that intensity of bruising. A doctor told jurors Hand had multiple injuries. Hand said the trauma of the attack had left her unable to work as a hairdresser, she fell behind on her mortgage and had to move out of her house. Police investigated the woman’s complaint but prosecutors declined to bring charges, saying there was insufficient evidence and a conviction was unlikely. McGregor, in his post on X, said he was disappointed jurors didn't see all the evidence prosecutors had reviewed. He testified that the two had athletic and vigorous sex, but that it was not rough. He said “she never said ‘no’ or stopped” and testified that everything she said was a lie. “It is a full blown lie among many lies,” he said when asked about the chokehold allegation. “How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings.” McGregor’s lawyer told jurors they had to set aside their animus toward the fighter. “You may have an active dislike of him, some of you may even loathe him – there is no point pretending that the situation might be otherwise,” attorney Remy Farrell said. “I’m not asking you to invite him to Sunday brunch.” The defense said the woman never told investigators McGregor threatened her life. They also showed surveillance video in court that they said appeared to show the woman kiss McGregor’s arm and hug him after they left the hotel room. Farrell said she looked “happy, happy, happy.” McGregor said he was “beyond petrified” when first questioned by police and read them a prepared statement. On the advice of his lawyer, he refused to answer more than 100 follow-up questions. The jury ruled against Hand in a case she brought against one of McGregor’s friends, James Lawrence, whom she accused of having sex with her in the hotel without consent.Union City Commissioner resigns, vacates seat for next term

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Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens nextNoneBOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Tre Carroll scored 18 points off the bench to lead Florida Atlantic to an 89-80 victory over Texas State on Saturday. Carroll shot 7 of 9 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Owls (7-5). Niccolo Moretti scored 15 points, shooting 4 of 6 from the field and 6 for 7 from the line. Matas Vokietaitis shot 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points. The Bobcats (7-4) were led by Tyler Morgan, who posted 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Tylan Pope added 14 points and three blocks. Josh O'Garro finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. Texas State had a five-game win streak end. Story continues below video Florida Atlantic took the lead with 51 seconds to go in the first half and never looked back. The score was 43-40 at halftime, with Vokietaitis racking up 11 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

The case of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has gotten the SNL treatment. On the cold open of the Dec. 14 episode of the NBC sketch series, cast member Sarah Sherman parodied prosecutor-turned TV personality Nancy Grace while discussing the public response to the arrest of Luigi Mangione , who was charged with murder Dec. 9 for the shooting death of the health insurance company executive outside a New York City hotel following a five-day search. "Our top story tonight, the masked CEO shooter has been unmasked. And guess what? It's game over, Luigi," Sherman's character said in the sketch , before the "game over" sound effect from Nintendo's original Super Mario Bros. video game was played. She continued, "And of course, everyone online celebrated the hard work of law enforcement in apprehending this dangerous criminal. Just kidding, y'all psychos made him a sex symbol." Sherman's character later introduced fellow SNL star Emil Wakim as "a guy who happens to look like Luigi Mangione." He noted, "This whole thing has kind of been a roller coaster for me. On one hand, I keep getting tackled by bounty hunters. But on the other hand, I've gotten some of the horniest DMs of my life. I mean, I haven't paid for a meal in Brooklyn in days." Mangione—who is expected to plead not guilty in the case , according to one of his attorneys, Thomas Dickey —was also mentioned on Weekend Update . "Everyone who went to high school with the alleged shooter said they were shocked that he could become an assassin, whereas everyone I went to high school with was shocked I didn't," cohost Colin Jost said, as one of his school yearbook photos was displayed onscreen. Episode guest host Chris Rock also referenced the murder suspect in his monologue. "Everybody's fixated on how good looking this guy looks. If he looked like Jonah Hill , no one would care," he said, joking, "They'd already given him the chair already." (E! and NBC are part of the NBCUniversal family.) Read on for more details from the ongoing murder investigation. Who is Brian Thompson? Brian Thompson was the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. He first joined the company in 2004 and held several positions before taking on the role of CEO in 2021. Prior to working at UnitedHealthcare, Thompson was employed at PwC, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also graduated with honors from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor's degree in business administration as an accounting major in May 1997, the school's public relations manager Steve Schmadeke told NBC News. Thompson, who lived in Minnesota, was married to Paulette Thompson —though according to public records viewed by E! News, they had been living in separate homes—and was the father of two sons. He was shot and killed in New York on Dec. 4, 2024. Thompson was 50 years old. How did Brian Thompson die? Patrol officers from the New York City Police Department’s Midtown North Precinct responded to a 911 call at 6:46 a.m. on Dec. 4, 2024 regarding a person who was shot in front of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said in a media briefing later that morning. Kenny noted officers arrived at the scene at 6:48 a.m. and found gunshot wounds on Thompson’s back and leg. The chief detective said Emergency Medical Services transported Thompson several blocks to Mount Sinai West, where the CEO was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. “The victim was in New York City to speak at an investor conference," NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch said during the media briefing. "It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes. And as the victim was walking to the conference hotel, the suspect approached from behind and fired several rounds, striking the victim at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf. Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target.” Tisch said the shooting appeared to be a “pre-meditated, pre-planned, targeted attack” and not a random act of violence. “The full investigative efforts of the New York City Police Department are well underway,” she noted, “and we will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter in this case.” What do investigators know about the shooting of Brian Thompson so far? According to Kenny, the shooter headed to the New York Hilton Midtown on foot and arrived outside the hotel five minutes before Thompson’s arrival. In a video, Kenny continued, Thompson was seen walking alone towards the Hilton at 6:44 a.m. after exiting his separate, nearby hotel apparently for a UnitedHealth Group investors conference that was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. that day. The chief detective added the shooter—who ignored "numerous other pedestrians"—approached Thompson from behind, shot him, walked towards him and continued shooting. Kenny said the gunman then fled on foot before getting on an ebike, and the shooter was seen riding into Central Park at Center Drive at 6:48 a.m. Kenny said three live nine-millimeter rounds and three discharged shell casings were recovered during the investigation. During a Dec. 6 press briefing, Kenny said the words “depose,” “delay” and “deny” were written on the shell casing in marker. However, he’s noted the motive for the killing has yet to be confirmed. What have investigators revealed about the gunman’s timeline? During the Dec. 6 press briefing, Kenny said investigators have footage of the shooter arriving at Port Authority in New York the night of Nov. 24. “We believe that that bus originated in Atlanta,” Kenny continued. “It has several stops along the way, so we’re not sure where he got on the bus.” After the shooter arrived at Port Authority, Kenny continued, the gunman took a cab to the vicinity of the Hilton hotel, where he was for about half an hour before traveling by cab to an Upper West Side hostel. On the morning of the shooting, Kenny added, the gunman left the hostel at 5:30 a.m. and arrived at the Hilton hotel at 5:41 a.m. Kenny said the gunman continued to walk in the vicinity of the hotel before then going to a nearby Starbucks, where he purchased a bottled water and a snack. He then returned to the hotel, and the shooting occurred at 6:44 a.m. Immediately after, the gunman fled the scene. Kenny said the shooter was seen entering Central Park at 60th St. and Center Drive at 6:48 a.m. and exiting the park through W. 77th St. and Central Park West at 6:56 a.m. At 7:00 a.m., Kenny added, the gunman was spotted on W. 86 th St without the bike. And four minutes later, the chief detective continued, the shooter got in a cab at 86 th St. and Amsterdam Avenue. Kenny said the gunman was then seen in the vicinity of the George Washington Bridge at 7:30 a.m. Kenny told CNN on Dec. 6 investigators thought the shooter left NYC after he was seen at Port Authority. Who were investigators looking for? During the Dec. 4 briefing, Kenny said the shooter appeared to be a "light-skin male" who wore "a light brown or cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers and a very distinctive gray backpack." Over the next few days, the NYPD released a series of photos of the individual they were looking for with the person's face was covered with a mask in many of the pictures. A senior law enforcement official told NBC News Dec. 5 the photos with the lowered face mask came from surveillance video at an Upper West Side hostel, and two separate law enforcement officials noted to the outlet investigators were trying to determine if the individual used a fake ID and cash for a hostel room. As for what led the individual to lower the face mask? "Apparently, there was an interaction while he was checking in, making casual conversation," Kenny said at the Dec. 6 briefing. "At some point, he pulled his mask down and smiled at the clerk." Kenny has also said a cellphone was found in an alley where the shooter fled before heading to the ebike, but it's unclear if it belonged to the gunman. Two law enforcement sources told NBC News a backpack was also found in Central Park. Kenny said investigators are "looking at everything"—including Thompson's social media and interviews with employees and family—that could help the case. They're also working with Minnesota and Atlanta law enforcement. Why was Luigi Mangione arrested? Pennsylvania’s Altoona Police Department arrested Luigi Mangione on firearm charges Dec. 9. According to a criminal docket obtained by NBC News, these include two felony charges—one of forgery and one of firearms not to be carried without a license—as well as three misdemeanors: tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of a crime and providing false identification to law enforcement. NYPD commissioner Tisch said a McDonald’s employee recognized Mangione and that the Altoona police were then called. When asked if he had been to New York recently, Mangione "became quiet and started to shake," police said per NBC News . Tisch also called Mangione a "person of interest" in Thompson's murder and spoke about the efforts to find him, with her thanking law enforcement partners and the public. "For just over five days, our NYPD investigators combed through thousands of hours of video, followed up on hundreds of tips, and processed every bit of forensic evidence: DNA, finger prints, IP addresses and so much more to tighten the net," she said. "We deployed drones, canine units, and scuba divers. We leveraged the domain awareness system, Argus cameras and conducted aviation canvases, and our detectives also went door to door interviewing potential witnesses and doing the good old fashioned police work that our investigators are famous for. This combination of old school detective work and new age technology is what led to this result today." What did police find on Luigi Mangione? In addition to "acting suspiciously," Tisch added, Mangione was "carrying multiple fraudulent IDs as well as a U.S. passport." “Upon further investigation, officers recovered a firearm on his person as well as a suppressor, both consistent with the weapon used in the murder," she continued in the Dec. 9 briefing, per a video shared by NBC News . "They also recovered clothing, including a mask consistent with those worn by our wanted individual." Tisch added officers also recovered a “fraudulent New Jersey ID” that matched the one the individual used to check into the New York hostel prior to the shooting. "Additionally,” she continued, “officers recovered a hand-written document that speaks to both his motivation and mindset.” What other charges is Luigi Mangione facing? On Dec. 9, Manhattan prosecutors filed a murder charge against Mangione, according to court documents obtained by NBC News . The 26-year-old is also facing three counts of criminal possession of a weapon (two in the second-degree for loaded firearm and one in the third degree such as for a silencer) and one count of possessing a forged instrument. He has yet to enter a plea for any charges. What did Luigi Mangione state in his writings? According to NBC News, citing the NYPD, Mangione had three pages of writings on him that totaled less than 300 words when he was taken into custody. Three senior law enforcement officials told the outlet these writings read, in part, "Frankly these parasites had it coming." In the writings, the officials continued, Mangione said he acted alone. However, the officials told NBC News they haven't ruled out other actors at this time. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country," Mangione's writings read, officials told NBC News. "To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone.” Officials said Mangione also added, "I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done.” However, Tisch noted Mangione's motive has yet to be confirmed. "I think when we look at the manifesto, or that three-page written document that was recovered, you see anti-corporatist sentiment, a lot of issues with the healthcare industry," she said in a Dec. 10 Today interview. "But as to particular specific motive, that will come out as this investigation continues to unfold over the next weeks and months." Has Luigi Mangione appeared in court? Mangione attended a hearing at the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania on Dec. 10. As he arrived, NBC News reported, he yelled out to families, "It’s completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people." Per the outlet, Mangione did not waive extradition to New York and was denied bail. As a result, he will remain in Pennsylvania's SCI Huntingdon prison. His lawyer Thomas Dickey told reporters that Mangione will plead not guilty in Pennsylvania and will likely do the same in New York. "I haven’t seen any evidence that says he’s the shooter,” he said, per NBC News . “Remember, and this is not just a small thing: A fundamental concept of American justice is the presumption of innocence, and until you’re proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." Who is Luigi Mangione? Mangione is a suspect in the murder of Brian Thompson and is facing several other charges in both Pennsylvania and New York, including forgery and criminal possession of a weapon. He's an Ivy League graduate, having received a Bachelor of Science in engineering in 2020 and a Masters of Science in engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, the school confirmed to NBC News . NYPD Chief of Detectives Kenny shared additional details on Mangione's upbringing, saying he was born and raised in Maryland. His most recent address is listed as Honolulu but he also has connections to San Francisco, Kenny told NBC News. After Mangione's arrest, his family released a statement on X . "Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione," they said in the Dec. 9 post . "We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved. We are devastated by this news." What has Brian Thompson’s family said about his death? After learning of the shooting, Thompson’s family mourned his passing. “We are shattered to hear about the senseless killing of our beloved Brian,” a family statement obtained by NBC affiliate KARE in Minneapolis on Dec. 5 read. “Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives. Most importantly, Brian was an incredibly loving father to our two sons and will be greatly missed. We appreciate your condolences and request complete privacy as our family moves through this difficult time.” Thompson’s wife Paulette also recalled how her husband had received threats prior to his death. "Yes, there had been some threats," she told NBC News Dec. 5. "Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him." What has UnitedHealth Group said about Brian Thompson’s death? UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, also expressed how it was "deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend" Thompson, flying its flags at half-mast at corporate headquarters in Minnesota. "Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him," a Dec. 4 statement from the organization read. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.” And while the company noted "our hearts are broken," it shared in a Dec. 5 statement that it has also "been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place." "So many patients, consumers, health care professionals, associations, government officials and other caring people have taken time out of their day to reach out," the message read. "We are thankful, even as we grieve. Our priorities are, first and foremost, supporting Brian’s family; ensuring the safety of our employees; and working with law enforcement to bring the perpetrator to justice. We, at UnitedHealth Group, will continue to be there for those who depend upon us for their health care. We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy as they mourn the loss of their husband, father, brother and friend." However, there's also been public criticism about UnitedHealthcare, Thompson and America's healthcare system overall. This has included online conversations about insurance companies' claim denial rates as well as a look at accusations against Thompson. For instance, in a class-action lawsuit filed by the City of Hollywood Firefighters' Pension Fund in May 2024 and obtained by NBC News, Thompson was accused of selling more than $15 million of his personal UnitedHealth shares after allegedly learning of an investigation of the company by the U.S. Department of Justice before the public did. When asked about the trades allegedly made by Thompson and other executives, a UnitedHealth spokesperson told Bloomberg in April 2024 "these directors and officers followed our protocols and received approval from the company." The lawsuit, per the BBC , remains active. And while a motive for the shooting hasn't been revealed, many outlets have noted the words “depose,” “delay” and “deny” on the shell casings are similar to the title of the 2010 book Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It . Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro slammed "deeply disturbing" online reactions to the killing: "In America," he said at a Dec. 9 press conference, per NBC News' video, "we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint." (E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family).

The 49ers shored up their suddenly thin running back corps on Tuesday by claiming Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the New York Jets. In a corresponding move, the Niners placed Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve after he suffered a right knee injury in Sunday night’s 35-10 loss to the Bills . Coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday said backup running back Jordan Mason would “most likely” join McCaffrey on IR, but the 49ers did not place him on that list just yet after he sprained his ankle Sunday. Abanikanda, 22, is in his second year as a pro after the Jets picked him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of Pittsburgh. He was waived Monday to make room for Kene Nwangwu, who had a 99-yard kick return touchdown and forced a fumble as a practice-squad elevation in New York’s loss Sunday to the Seahawks. Abanikanda has been inactive for all 12 of the Jets’ games this season. Last year, he had 22 carries for 70 yards in six games, adding seven catches for 43 yards. The 49ers also signed maligned wide receiver Ronnie Bell to the practice squad. Bell, whom the 49ers waived last week, was drafted by San Francisco last year in the seventh round out of Michigan and has eight catches for 90 yards in 26 career games.Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next

Colts Notebook: Lions add physicality to explosive attackPembina Trails School Division is using outside experts to investigate “unusual activities” that were detected within its network system Monday morning. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Pembina Trails School Division is using outside experts to investigate “unusual activities” that were detected within its network system Monday morning. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Pembina Trails School Division is using outside experts to investigate “unusual activities” that were detected within its network system Monday morning. In a letter to parents, Supt. and CEO Shelley Amos said some of the division’s systems, including phones, are offline as a result of the activities, which were detected by Pembina Trails’ information technology staff. “We immediately contacted third-party experts to investigate. Our investigation is ongoing, and we will provide further updates as we know more,” Amos wrote. “Our schools remain open and classes are continuing. For urgent communications, you may continue using Edsby (software) and/or email your school directly. “We appreciate your patience as we work to resolve this and we sincerely regret any inconvenience.” Systems were still offline Tuesday morning. Secretaries are most affected by the outage, leaving them without computers, clocks and intercoms, an education source told the . The outage will make future lesson planning difficult, they said. “We’ve become completely dependent on these systems and when they’re down, most things come to a halt,” they said. Amos wasn’t made available for an interview Tuesday, because she is “extremely busy” working to fix the “technical problems,” a division spokesperson said. fpcity@freepress.mb.ca Advertisement

Oliver Roberts is Editor-in-Chief of AI and the Law at The National Law Review, Co-Head of the AI Practice Group at Holtzman Vogel, and CEO/Founder of Wickard.ai As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to look ahead to how AI will shape the law and legal practice in 2025. Over the past year, we’ve witnessed growing adoption of AI across the legal sector, substantial investments in legal AI startups, and a rise in state-level AI regulations. While the future of 2025 remains uncertain, industry leaders are already sharing their insights. Along with 2025 predictions from The National Law Review’s Editor-in-Chief Oliver Roberts, this article presents 68 expert predictions on AI and the law in 2025 from federal judges, startup founders, CEOs, and leaders of AI practice groups at global law firms. Predictions from The National Law Review’s Editor-in-Chief Oliver Roberts Oliver’s Predictions for AI Regulation : In 2025, I do not expect Congress to pass any comprehensive federal legislation that limits or prohibits the use or development of AI. However, I expect more federal investment in AI research and education and the imposition of more restrictive export controls on the export of AI technologies to adversarial nations. While plaintiff publishers battle AI companies in court over alleged copyright infringement, I do not expect Congress to step into this copyright debate in 2025. Even though copyright law falls within Congress’s purview in the U.S. Constitution, I predict that Congress will let the cases play out in court before Congress steps in. Still, Congress will likely monitor this situation in 2025 because an adverse ruling for AI companies could significantly impair the LLM training and development process in the U.S. and have harmful downstream effects for U.S. innovation and national security. I predict that President-elect Donald Trump will fulfill his campaign promises by revoking President Biden’s Executive Order on AI (E.O. 14110) in January 2025 and replacing it with an order prioritizing AI innovation and investment. President Trump’s appointment of David Sacks as “White House AI & Crypto Czar” also portends a free market approach to AI in the coming year. Similarly, I do not expect any federal agencies to issue regulations restricting AI use or development in 2025. During the Biden Administration, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Election Commission (FEC), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) refrained from issuing new regulations on AI. Under the Trump Administration, I predict the same inaction—with one caveat. Despite his restrained approach to AI regulation, incoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has supported FCC rulemaking requiring callers to disclose their use of AI-generated calls and text messages. With public comment completed and this proposed rule still pending, it is possible that the FCC issues final rulemaking in 2025—although I find it unlikely that the FCC would ultimately deviate from the Trump Administration’s laissez-faire approach to AI regulation. In the absence of federal legislative activity, I expect states to be very active in AI regulation. At least 33 states formed AI committees or task forces in 2024, so I expect the issuance of many AI reports and recommendations, leading to more legislative activity. I expect at least a majority of states to pass laws banning, limiting, or requiring watermarking on AI-generated deepfakes, especially in elections and in the creation of sexually explicit content. To date, the only state to pass comprehensive AI legislation is Colorado with the Colorado AI Act , which will take effect in February 2026. Given rapid advancements in AI and the bill’s heavy-handed approach, I predict that Colorado will be forced to amend the Colorado AI Act to reduce regulatory obligations on developers prior to its implementation. I Further, I predict that many state legislators will copy the “risk-based” approach to AI regulation, which is at the core of the European Union AI Act and the Colorado AI Act. One example of this is the draft Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (“TRAIGA”) , which is set to be introduced by Republican Texas State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione in January 2025. If enacted, TRAIGA would become the nation’s most restrictive state AI bill. However, given Texas’s pro-business political climate, I anticipate that this bill will fail to pass. I also believe that many legislatures will come to recognize the illogical and overreaching nature of these “risk-based” regulatory approaches. For instance, TRAIGA prohibits the use of AI systems for “social scoring,” yet it does not ban social scoring conducted without AI. This discrepancy highlights a fundamental flaw in such frameworks: they penalize the use of AI broadly without fully addressing the underlying harmful behavior. This approach not only stifles innovation and burdens smaller businesses but also focuses on speculative risks rather than addressing actual harms, creating a fragmented and overly restrictive regulatory landscape. As AI rapidly develops, I expect legislatures to eventually ditch this approach. Oliver’s Predictions for AI Technology: In 2025, I predict that lawyers and law firms will realize that AI will replace lawyers in the coming years. Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, we’ve heard the adage, “AI won’t replace lawyers, but lawyers who use AI will replace those who don’t.” I’ve always thought this was overoptimistic, and perhaps defensive thinking from legal practitioners. Whether you’re reading this article now, in 2025, in 2026, or 2050, AI technology is at its weakest point at this very moment. It is only improving. Given rapid advancements in LLM reasoning capabilities and improving agentic and multimodal functionalities, I believe that AI will replace entry-level lawyers within the next 5 years. Along with improvements in LLM capabilities, Google’s recent breakthrough with its quantum computing chip Willow portends a quicker timeline for the commercialization of quantum computing technology, which will provide even stronger computational power and “be the most revolutionary technology in human history,” as I previously wrote about in June . For perspective, Willow was able to “perform[] a computation in under five minutes that would take one of today’s fastest supercomputers 1025 or 10 septillion years,” according to Google Quantum AI Founder Hartmut Neven . But similar to the ever-changing definition of Artificial General Intelligence (“AGI”), I do not believe there will ever be a clear demarcation for when we achieve fully operational legal intelligence (“FOLI”), which is the point at which an LLM can perform legal tasks with the proficiency of a lawyer. Rather, I expect this to be an evolving debate with practical manifestations in the form of law firms downsizing staff or reassigning lawyers to quality control, while AI agents execute full workflows autonomously and semi-autonomously. And even if we achieve FOLI, I believe there will always be managing attorneys and associates reviewing the final work product and incorporating human judgment as needed. I predict that these discussions will become more prevalent in 2025. In 2025, I also expect an internal movement within “big law” firms to better document their internal knowledge and processes, so this data can be leveraged to fine-tune and customize in-house LLMs, as I detailed previously here. Finally, I predict that in 2025, legal AI companies will enter into licensing agreements with legal-specific publishers to secure access to high-quality legal analysis for training their models. Thus far, OpenAI has already demonstrated this approach by licensing content from mainstream publishers . And legal AI startups have begun hiring former “big law” lawyers to enhance the performance of their systems through human-in-the-loop feedback. Establishing a steady pipeline of training data directly from legal professionals via legal publications could significantly improve the fine-tuning of legal-specific LLMs, paving the way for more accurate and reliable applications in the legal field. Predictions from 65 Industry Leaders In addition to my predictions, I asked 65 industry leaders about their predictions for legal AI in 2025. Here’s what they had to say: Hon. Allison H. Goddard | Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California 2025 Prediction : Federal courts will begin to leverage the benefits of GenAI in their workflow. The law school graduates who begin federal clerkships will have used GenAI for legal research and writing, and federal courts will benefit from that experience. The "robots" won't be making decisions for the courts, but they can help improve the efficiency and accuracy of our work. Biggest Surprise 2025 : GenAI will improve access to justice by making the legal system more accessible and understandable to pro se litigants. Kirk Nahra | Partner, Co-Chair Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice and Artificial Intelligence Practice, WilmerHale 2025 Prediction : We will continue to see regulatory enforcement of false representations about AI, but will also see new investigations into misuse of AI. There will be an emphasis on specific consumer harms that will be driven by anecdotes, which will threaten the broader regulatory structure for AI. Much of this will be driven at the state level, and will create real tensions with appropriate development of AI as a useful tool benefiting both industry and consumers. Biggest Surprise 2025 : I am watching two things. I think we will see aggressive investigations in AI that will over-value specific examples of problems in a way that threatens the appropriate development of AI. I also think we will see situational legislation at the state level specifically addressing individual situations, leading to a chaotic development of legislation on these issues. Kathi Vidal | Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office 2025 Prediction : In an increasingly global economy, AI challenges traditional notions of responsibility and ownership (including intellectual property), demanding a global framework that balances innovation, creativity, equity, and protection. In 2025, we may see countries diverge on regulations and legal frameworks, highlighting the need for international cooperation and a harmonized approach. As AI research encounters limits to scaling training data alone, new paradigms such as retrieval-augmented generation and inference-time scale will be needed to advance progress in AI - the implication of which the legal community has yet to fully explore. We will also likely see market-driven solutions that address both data limitations and copyright owners' concerns related to the use of their copyright-protected works in training. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Though I wouldn't characterize it as a surprise, we will see a rise in companies and product offerings performing certain legal tasks with AI, and we'll see reactions from the judiciary and government bodies to ensure submissions comply with traditional and evolving standards for accuracy, veracity and trustworthiness. Bridget McCormack | CEO and President, American Arbitration Association 2025 Prediction : AI is not slowing down, it will continue to grow exponentially. We haven’t witnessed an asymptote in the technology and I expect we will continue to see order of magnitude improvements. Adoption will not slow down either. According to Andreessen Horowitz AI budgets for enterprise companies grew 2.5x from $7 million in 2023 to 18 million in 2024 and I expect to see AI spending ramp up even more in 2025. Lawyer adoption will continue to skyrocket as well. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Despite AI’s growth, lawyers will find themselves busier than ever. Like WebMD which led to an increase in doctor visits, GenAI tools like EvenUp are already leading to an increase in claims filed. Danny Tobey | Partner, Global Co-Chair, and Chair of DLA Piper Americas AI and Data Analytics Practice 2025 Prediction : Organizations are waking up to the massive potential of AI—and the risks it brings if not properly managed. One of the biggest hurdles for organizations is keeping up with the surge of new laws and standards and understanding how they all fit together. I believe the future belongs to organizations that take a proactive approach to compliance, leveraging advanced technology-based solutions to navigate these complexities, all while ensuring they have the right legal expertise to stay ahead. Cassandra Gaedt-Sheckter | Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher 2025 Prediction : There are likely to be many predictions on the growth of AI development, adoption by companies, and reading tea leaves on regulation. All are very possible. Importantly with these developments, I believe the transactional considerations from a privacy, IP, and data protection perspective, are bound to grow, regardless of how any of those topics pan out, and that AI will be an increasingly significant target for PE and business growth. The focus on these areas in M&A transactions--whether analyzing the risks associated with deploying AI (use and implementation), or AI developers--of which there will be increasingly more where the line is blurry, and many will be both; the outsourcing and services agreements; and the related corporate governance issues; will grow. AI in 2025 from a transactional perspective is likely to be what privacy was in 2016-2020, in many ways, including with respect to regulatory compliance, emerging to receive nuanced attention as a topic in transactions, and DPAs. DPAs will no longer focus mostly on data privacy, but rather focus on data processing more generally. Biggest Surprise 2025 : A comprehensive AI law would be a huge surprise. Jill Holtzman Vogel | Managing Partner, Holtzman Vogel PLLC | Virginia State Senator (2008-24) 2025 Prediction : Like Holtzman Vogel, I expect every competitive law firm in the tech space to launch an AI Practice Group by the end of 2025. As AI is becoming integrated in all aspects of business, the dual need for legal and technical expertise has never been more important. I believe tech companies greatly value this dual expertise, and law firms will adapt accordingly in the new year. Mark McCreary | Partner, Chief AI & Information Security Officer, Fox Rothschild LLP 2025 Prediction : I believe that there will be two major trends in 2025, the first being legal generative AI tools will likely feature more robust natural language capabilities, enabling advanced drafting, real-time analysis, and predictive litigation outcomes. What I mean is that prompting will become less relevant and less likely to lead to results that vary in quality based on the prompt itself, and the tool will be more successful in understanding what the user needs. Second, I believe that product development will focus on domain-specific AI, tailored to niche legal areas like family law or tax compliance. The idea of having one tool that can handle dozens of tasks will become less relevant, partly because of the exorbitant costs we have seen, and partly because practitioners generally need laser-focused tools to help with tasks for which generative AI is well-suited. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise in legal AI in 2025 is likely not a surprise to many people, but it will be that bar associations, legal groups, and courts will continue to try and put hard and fast rules around attorney use of AI. Creating black and white requirements, such as when client-specific consent to use AI is required (beyond what is already required and prohibited under current ethical rules), or disclosures of court filings when an AI tool is used, will create unnecessary impediments and negative inferences that will slow the adoption and use of legal AI tools. Mark Williams | Co-founder & Co-Director, Vanderbilt AI Law Lab (VAILL) 2025 Prediction : All roads lead to agents, whether it’s legal-specific products, frontier models or anything in between, agentic AI and moving beyond the chatbot interface will be the theme. That goes for governance frameworks as well which up to now generally don’t seem to account for this form of deployment in an in-depth way. Biggest Surprise 2025 : What won’t be a surprise! With a new federal regime, I think unpredictability in AI regulation could be the norm. Fred Lederer | Chancellor Professor of Law and Director, Center for Legal & Court Technology, William & Mary Law School 2025 Prediction : As at least claimed AI use and benefits increasingly penetrate the legal world, particularly low cost open source applications, lawyer misunderstanding of AI will become ever more evident, leading to error and confusion. Multi-jurisdiction attempts to regulate AI, many of which will lack sufficient specificity for lawyers, will create conflicting rules yielding concerns about jurisdiction and liability. Meanwhile, most law schools will continue to largely ignore AI implications. Hopefully, we will survive the confusion and concentrate on forging useful guidance and controls. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The degree to which relatively inexpensive AI products will penetrate the legal profession's day-to-day operations. Julian Nyarko | Professor of Law, Stanford Law School; Associate Director, Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute 2025 Prediction : As the legal industry grapples with artificial intelligence's potential, I hope and expect 2025 to see a crucial shift toward more rigorous and systematic evaluation frameworks for legal AI tools, moving beyond the current state of limited understanding and ad-hoc assessments. Combined with the emergence of more "hybrid experts" - professionals equally versed in both legal practice and AI technology - this could drive incremental yet meaningful improvements in legal AI applications. Rather than dramatic advancements, I expect 2025 to be characterized by steady, measured progress as the industry focuses on refining existing technologies and establishing better standards for their use. Biggest Surprise 2025 : I would be particularly excited to see creative uses of multimodal models (those that work not only with text, but also audio, video etc.) in the legal domain, e.g. for AI assisted coaching. James Ding | CEO & Co-founder, DraftWise 2025 Prediction : As the pace of AI model progress begins to slow, the focus will shift towards building value on top of existing model capabilities. We’re already seeing this — AI providers are increasingly productizing advancements (e.g., OpenAI's chain-of-thought reasoning and Claude's desktop automation), which offer tangible applications to users. Vertical AI solutions, once dependent on foundational models, are now accelerating through active usage and deployment, providing real-world feedback that helps refine future models. While we may be reaching the end of a rapid growth curve, we will see a move toward more refined, applied versions of Generative AI that prioritize practical integration over groundbreaking leaps. Biggest Surprise 2025 : We'll continue to be surprised by the rate at which lawyer willing and excitedly adopt AI and readily use AI in their day to day. Daryl Lim | H. Laddie Montague Jr. Chair in Law; Associate Dean for Research and Innovation; Founding Director, Intellectual Property Law and Innovation Initiative; Co-hire, Institute for Computational and Data Sciences and Affiliate, Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence, Penn State University 2025 Prediction : Law firms will increasingly adopt sophisticated generative AI tools to streamline drafting, contract analysis, and predicting litigation outcomes, boosting both efficiency and access to legal services. Workflows will evolve to integrate AI into routine tasks like discovery and billing, allowing lawyers to concentrate on strategic and client-focused responsibilities. There will also be a growing emphasis on ethical AI certifications and compliance audits as firms and corporations prioritize responsible AI usage. Additionally, legal AI will revolutionize dispute resolution, with AI-powered platforms facilitating mediation, arbitration, and early case assessments online. Biggest Surprise 2025 : A black swan event could involve a crisis where AI systems are weaponized to manipulate legal proceedings—fabricating evidence, falsifying contracts, or influencing arbitration decisions in high-stakes cases. This could force rapid, coordinated action among global legal and regulatory bodies, highlighting vulnerabilities in the reliance on AI and prompting a reevaluation of digital trust and cybersecurity standards in international legal practice. Andrew Perlman | Dean, Suffolk University Law School 2025 Prediction : As Bill Gates and others frequently say, we overestimate the amount of change in two years and underestimate it over ten. We are still only 2 years into the generative AI era, so I predict that 2025 will not bring about a fundamental transformation of the legal industry. Rather, we will continue to see a steady and material increase in the adoption of such tools as part of a trend toward a seismic shift in how legal services are delivered in the long term Biggest Surprise 2025 : Some lawyers may be surprised by their clients' enthusiasm for generative AI. Far from being skeptical about these tools, clients will recognize that generative AI, when properly and ethically deployed, can improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of legal services. Dennis Kennedy | Director, Center for Law, Technology & Innovation, Michigan State University 2025 Prediction : The real battle for the future of legal services will happen in the middle market in 2025, not in BigLaw, as corporate clients demand AI-driven efficiency and alternative providers and mid-sized and small firms demonstrate better ways to meet client needs. Look for signals from corporate law departments bypassing their traditional large outside counsel firms to work directly with firms and providers who better leverage AI with fair pricing models. Corporate legal departments will accelerate this trend by building sophisticated internal AI capabilities, expanding legal operations teams and partnering with legal tech companies rather than paying law firm premiums for routine work. Big firms will face an existential choice between becoming technology companies that practice law or slowly losing relevance as their traditional client base erodes. Biggest Surprise 2025 : In 2025, the legal profession's retrenchment on AI initiatives and defensive approaches to AI regulations and adoption will accelerate its own decline by giving alternative providers room to innovate while lawyers remain stuck. Like the Maginot Line, the legal profession’s elaborate defenses of the guild will prove useless as clients and other providers using AI simply route around them. Bonnie Shucha | Associate Dean, University of Wisconsin Law School 2025 Prediction : The critical thinking skills that law schools have always instilled in students will become even more essential in 2025 under ABA Formal Opinion 512, as lawyers must make informed decisions about whether and how to use generative AI in their practice. As these technologies become standard features within legal software and practice management systems, more law schools will respond by offering foundational instruction to ensure all students understand AI basics and specialized electives that delve deeper into AI implementation and ethics. The core skills of critical thinking, legal analysis, and professional judgment will become even more crucial as lawyers learn to ethically and effectively navigate an increasingly AI-augmented practice environment. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise in legal AI in 2025 may be how smaller, rural communities creatively leverage generative AI to address critical shortages of legal personnel, potentially transforming how these jurisdictions deliver essential legal services. Amy J Schmitz | Professor & John Deaver Drinko-Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law Director, JusticeTech Co-Director, Translational Data Analytics Institute Responsible Data Science CoP Michael E. Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University 2025 Prediction : Legal RAG systems will gain even greater prominence, and law schools will ramp up education around use of AI in the practice of law. Meanwhile, we will see further proliferation of regulations and guidance around use of AI -- leading to a legal patchwork on a global level. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The bubble will burst with respect to general LLMs, and neurosymbolic AI will emerge as a new "shiny thing" in the AI space. Bradley Collins | CEO - LegalTechTalk 2025 Prediction : I believe LegalTech is where FinTech was 15 years ago and Insurtech was 8 years ago from an investment (& adoption) perspective, expect to see an accelerated number of startup unicorns arising in this space, both from B2B SaaS startups, as well as ALSPs that will start to compete with law firms. We will see more and more law firms and legal departments investing big into legal AI platform roll outs, now that we have tried and tested learnings from 'early movers'. We will also see many more law firms trailing more 'pilot' campaigns with vendors as they test and learn new products that continue to enter the market. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise (yet a real possibility) will be that the Netflix of legal is born, i.e. a tech startup that competes with the big firms (of course not without hurdles and challenges to get through). We've seen big disruption from the likes of Revolut, AirBnb, Uber, Netflix, Amazon to name a few in other industries over the years - is Legal the next to be disrupted in a similar way? Jonathan Askin | Professor of Clinical Law, Brooklyn Law Incubator & Policy Clinic 2025 Prediction : I predict we'll see a flood of AI-created inventions. Because patents require human inventors (at least in the United States), many of these inventions will be open-sourced to the world. On the virtuous side, many new medicines designed by AI to target various illnesses will be cheaply available without pharmaceutical company gatekeepers. On the nefarious side, some designer drugs (and other illicit products like weapons) will also be invented, open-sourced, and readily self-manufactured (or available through cryptocurrency payments) and widely available without any government oversight. Biggest Surprise 2025 : We'll see multiple failed attempts for international treaties attempting to develop an international framework to govern the use and misuse of AI systems. Blake Rooney | Chief Information Officer, Husch Blackwell 2025 Prediction : Artificial intelligence in 2025 will begin to transform legal work through intelligent process chains - where one AI task naturally flows into the next. Imagine an AI that doesn't just summarize a deposition but automatically extracts action items, drafts follow-up requests, and perhaps even takes on more of the process. For attorneys, this progression from sequential manual steps to fluid, interlinked AI assistance could dramatically boost their daily productivity. The key will be AI that understands the natural flow of knowledge work rather than just handling isolated tasks. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Advances in document generation via AI will start to mature and accelerate attorney productivity in 2025. Several products and the large language models themselves are becoming far more capable. Ted Theodoropoulos | CEO, Infodash 2025 Prediction : In the two years since ChatGPT's release there has been a lot of fear, excitement, uncertainty and experimentation. There has been very little true transformation up to this point in how legal work gets done. 2024 has largely been a year of experimentation as evidenced by the dozens of academic studies evaluating the capabilities of both the frontier models and legal specific vendor platforms. That trend will continue through the first half of next year as we continue to separate the wheat from the chaff; however, we should see real progress towards transformation as implementation efforts gain traction in the second half of 2025. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Prompt engineering will die a slow death in the next 12 months. AI systems will provide more structured interfaces than an empty text box for users to communicate what they want and will ask the necessary clarifying questions when necessary. Manny Griffiths | Co-Founder & CEO, Hona 2025 Prediction : The cream for document-producing AI companies will rise to the top. So many companies have gotten funding, but only a handful will make it. Tools that are built within Case Management Software are going to be the most highly adopted. It makes sense to have the tools directly in the system of record. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Non-document or summary-related AI products will get hot. You will see more voice AI and automation AI tools take off in the legal market. Gabe Teninbaum | Asst. Dean of Innovation, Strategic Initiatives, and Distance Education and Professor of Legal Writing at Suffolk University Law School 2025 Prediction : By 2025, legal AI will shift from supporting tools to decision-making partners, with agentic systems managing tasks like compliance monitoring and preliminary dispute resolution. The surprise won’t be AI’s capability—it will be the speed at which clients demand its adoption. Regulation will likely lag behind, forcing the profession to navigate uncharted ethical and practical territory. The lawyers who thrive will be those who embrace AI as an ally rather than resist it. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise in legal AI in 2025 will be the emergence of agentic AI—systems capable of taking autonomous, goal-driven actions within set parameters. These tools won’t just assist lawyers but will independently draft contracts, conduct negotiations, and even manage compliance, pushing the profession to redefine what it means to "practice law." Mike Swarz | Director of Marketing @ Trellis 2025 Prediction : 2025 will see heightened demand for a legal productivity solution - leveraging AI and state court data to automate legal tasks! Legal teams will discover a solution, harnessing the largest repository of state court data, to help them: evaluate cases, automate brief drafting, suggest winning strategies, and more. Win rates will be boosted, and playing fields leveled, for those who engage and capitalize on this new legal tech. Biggest Surprise 2025 : ‘Google'-searching state trial court records - across the country - to uncover key intelligence (& analytics!) on: judges, verdicts, opposing counsel, motions, rulings, dockets and other legal issues. This is now the norm. Jeremy Ben-Meir | Co-Founder & COO at PointOne 2025 Prediction : The integration of AI into cloud-based platforms will continue to push large firms toward cloud technology. However, to access the latest AI advancements, these firms must balance the benefits of cloud adoption against the familiarity of maintaining their on-premise systems. Through this process, they will have to develop new methods to evaluate these new hybrid solutions. Biggest Surprise 2025 : As industry adoption of AI solutions increases, expectations and enthusiasm will encounter real-world challenges (e.g. reliability and consistency). For certain product categories, this will put downward pressure on demand as buyers become more discerning and focus on solutions that demonstrably enhance efficiency and reduce costs. Daniel Lewis | CEO, LegalOn Technologies 2025 Prediction : In-house legal teams will take center stage. They'll showcase the successful adoption of AI tools and demonstrate big efficiencies in contract review, redlining, and answering questions from across the business. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Legal AI will not upend law firms’ billable hour, but it will continue to enable and accelerate the flow of legal work moving in-house. Colin Levy | Director of Legal and Evangelist, Malbek 2025 Prediction : I envision a proliferation in multi-modality models, e.g. more powerful models capable of Models capable of integrating text, image, audio, video. 2) Further evolution of Generative AI solutions from simply being tools to being autonomous agents capable of decision-making and executing tasks in constrained environments. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Likely further debate over detecting real vs created imagery and video as well as further debate around use of Gen AI in education and at what levels of education. Jon M. Garon Professor of Law and Director of the Goodwin Program for Society, Technology, and the Law @ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law 2025 Prediction : As predictive AI systems drop in price, they are going to become essential for many legal business operations, including e-discovery and legal informatics. The hype around retrieval-augmented generation will fade as hallucinations continue to limit AI’s use in legal research. Instead, the largest potential use will be for forum shopping and the use of predictive AI to anticipate the tendencies of sitting judges, a practice that will also raise ethical concerns. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The potential for user-operated agents will grow exponentially as these apps create the power to automate calendaring, meeting coordination, note-taking, work-out buddies, and much more, becoming true personal assistants. Lawyers will need to be careful that the agents do not disclose personal or client data, but with that problem solved, these will grow into a significant new market. Sateesh Nori | Senior Legal Innovation Strategist 2025 Prediction : In 2025, we will begin to see consumer-facing legal AI tools hit the market. The "unauthorized practice of law" rules will be relaxed in many more states. Finally, my elderly parents will be using AI in their everyday activities. Biggest Surprise 2025 : We will see the demise of UPL restrictions. Isaac Rutenberg | Associate Professor of ICT Policy and Innovation, Strathmore University (Kenya) 2025 Prediction : I expect that the mainstream news media will start saying (loudly) that an "AI winter" is here, and that AI has been overhyped. At the same time, a majority of people in the tech industry will not agree, and will (relatively quietly) push forward with new products and technologies. I also predict that major advances will be made in language translation and preservation (including both human and animal languages). Biggest Surprise 2025 : The frequency of product liability lawsuits involving AI systems will see a large increase - people claiming they have been damaged by an AI tool (chatbot, etc.). Kathleen (Katie) Brown | Associate Dean for Information Resources, Charleston School of Law 2025 Prediction : In the coming year, law librarians will emerge as the leaders of AI and generative AI instruction within the legal academy. Their unique blend of technological savvy and deep understanding of legal research positions them perfectly to guide this critical educational shift. We'll see law librarians developing innovative curricula, curating AI tools, and providing hands-on training that bridges the gap between traditional legal education and cutting-edge AI applications. This leadership from law librarians will be instrumental in preparing the next generation of lawyers to thrive in an AI-enhanced legal landscape. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Despite the crucial need for advanced AI-powered verification tools, the rapid evolution of generative AI will continue to outpace our ability to reliably detect and authenticate AI-created materials. Paul H. McVoy | Shareholder, Repario 2025 Prediction : I think that law firms and companies will continue to show a great interest in using AI in their work, but in the short term, will spend as much time and money, or more, vetting the output than if they had not used AI at all. Further, I believe that parties will challenge the use of AI, especially for discovery purposes, and courts will require detailed validation in order to endorse the use of AI tools. I am not sure that developers will be able to provide the information Judges will want to make them comfortable. Biggest Surprise 2025 : I think by the end of 2025, AI expertise will be a highly valued asset among employers in the legal field. Those who master the art of using AI will be sought after as next-gen assets and will be compensated accordingly. Arunim Samat CEO, TrueLaw 2025 Prediction : By 2025, law firms will increasingly adopt proprietary AI models to scale expertise and improve services like investigations, compliance, and due diligence. The push from clients to leverage AI for better cost and quality outcomes will intensify. AI will primarily augment lawyers, enabling them to handle more work efficiently while streamlining workflows. We’ll also likely see clearer regulatory frameworks for AI, ensuring greater transparency and accountability in its use within legal practice. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise in legal AI in 2025 will be how law firms begin to adopt product-focused mindsets, moving beyond traditional services. This shift, driven by the potential of AI to scale expertise and create innovative tools, could fundamentally change how legal value is delivered and perceived. Yonathan Arbel | University of Alabama, School of Law 2025 Prediction : Courts increasingly embrace "generative interpretation" (Arbel & Hoffman, 2024) to assist legal interpretation. The rise of the "x10 lawyer" - legal professionals who masterfully wield AI to multiply their capabilities - will reshape competitive dynamics. Strong, but somewhat ambiguous, dis-employment effects for lawyers. Rising pressure to regulate AI in legal practice will accelerate adoption of the Uniform Artificial Practice of Law (UAPL) framework. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The pace of adoption will be surprising to those who still hold a skeptical view of AI in legal practice. Dana Neacsu | Director, Ken Gormley Law Library | Associate Professor of Legal Skills, Thomas R. Kline School of Law 2025 Prediction : These are personal opinions, informed by my research and writing, and they do not reflect my institution's: By 2025, legal AI will likely see widespread adoption of generative AI tools tailored to drafting, contract review, and predictive analytics. Productivity will be a wash because of the need for critical review of the content, data security, bias, accountability, and client confidentiality. Responsible automation will become a buzzphrase, though few will really understand what that entails. Finally, there will be a clear bifurcation of AI-free-of-charge and AI-for-a-fee. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The U.S. will refuse to regulate AI at the federal level. Cat Casey | Chief Growth Officer, Reveal 2025 Prediction : AI has gone from the fringes to the forefront and is transforming the legal industry faster than you can say "ChatGPT." By 2025, it’ll go from shiny new toy to must have—seamlessly woven into legal workflows, becoming the backbone of smarter, faster, and sharper decision-making. In 2025 there will be no more endless debates and “what-if” scenarios; AI will begin to be fully embedded in the tools you use daily. This isn’t just evolution; it’s revolution. The era of AI-driven law is here, and it’s reshaping everything—from how we work to how we win. AI isn’t just along for the ride; it’s driving the future of law. Biggest Surprise 2025 : In 2025, I think we may begin to speak about AI less because it will begin the shift from novelty to normality. The what if questions will be replaced with practical tech evaluation and integration in a meaningful way. And the hype will not slow, but the hyperbole will start to fade. Rose J. Hunter Jones | Partner, Hilgers Graben 2025 Prediction : While non-U.S. jurisdictions will likely lead the way in AI regulation, focusing on transparency and accountability, the U.S. may lag behind, leaving firms to navigate a patchwork of evolving guidelines. On the product development front, emerging AI technologies will face challenges in integrating with established industry-standard tools, forcing lawyers to weigh the benefits of sticking with familiar systems versus adopting new, potentially transformative solutions. Generative AI will continue to push boundaries, reshaping how lawyers research, draft, and strategize while amplifying their expertise. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise in legal AI in 2025 will be the slow pace of adoption, despite the technology's potential to significantly reduce legal fees while maintaining or even improving accuracy. The legal industry's inherent risk aversion will continue to stymie widespread implementation, leaving many firms hesitant to fully embrace the transformative potential of AI. Tali Green | Co-Founder & CEO of Goodfact 2025 Prediction : Litigation lawyers will become disillusioned with the LLM-powered chronology tools that flooded the market after the arrival of ChatGPT in November 2022. Litigators will recognize that an effective AI summary requires first having a solid handle on each of the granular facts in a case. Litigators will continue to search for a tool that provides both a high level overview of their case as well as detailed and accurate depiction of each underlying fact. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Judges will start to use AI to automate a lot of their work flows, including to review and build chronologies of parties' documents. Courts will also start to encourage or even require litigants to use AI-powered tools to more clearly and succintly convey information to the Courts. Chris Williams | Legal Tech Expert at Leya 2025 Prediction : Legal AI products will continue to improve rapidly, with enhanced features and foundational model capabilities. However, market penetration will remain modest, and 2025 won’t be the year of a major revolution. Clients will grow more comfortable with AI use in law firms, making adoption easier. The Jevons Paradox will likely come into play, as lawyers become exponentially more productive, they will simply do more, and law firm revenues will increase. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The most surprising aspect might be that foundational models don’t change as much as anticipated. While many are looking for groundbreaking advancements like GPT-5, the real changes in value are likely to come from how people use the technology, integrate with existing solutions and apply it to create meaningful and scalable workflows tailored to specific industries. Agbo Obinnaya | Founder & CEO, Case Radar (Nigeria) 2025 Prediction : The products will get better and with more marketing, there will be mass adoption of legal AI products. Biggest Surprise 2025 : VCs will pay more attention to the legal tech generative AI industry, especially in Africa where the legal industry is experiencing conflicting decisions by the courts. Evan Shenkman | Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, Fisher Phillips 2025 Prediction : By late 2025 we will see the greatest AI value from powerful GenAI tools that don't require user-provided prompts, but which offer powerful, real-time assistance to attorneys nonetheless. Think about tools that can listen in on depositions, trials, or client intake meetings, and provide the attorney -- in real-time -- with AI-powered guidance and assistance (issue spotting, identifying inconsistencies or falsehoods, etc.) based on the tool's prior review and analysis of the entire case file. Or tools that can continually review the case docket, and then unilaterally alert the attorney of what just happened, what now needs to be done, and include GenAI-created proposed drafts based on prior firm samples. These tools are already in the works, and will be mainstream soon enough. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Litigation funding will grow significantly in 2025, lured by GenAI's promise of more powerful and accurate case valuation and assessment models than ever before. This will bring about an unexpected increase in new case filings, more protracted lawsuits, and greater judicial backlogs. Ken Withers | Executive Director, The Sedona Conference 2025 Prediction : I predict that starting in 2025, AI application developers will coalesce around a common foundational or “constitutional” LLMs that act like an operating system, built on trusted sources with tested built-in controls to minimize or eliminate biases, hallucinations, or malicious uses (granted, criminals will always think up some new way to extort victims or create chaos). This might take some time to come to fruition, but things happen quickly when markets pressure is brought to bear – enterprise or subject-specific AI applications built on a widely respected foundational LLM would presumptively enjoy much greater market and legal acceptance. I’m hoping that more technically sophisticated readers will say, “Oh, that’s already in the works...” Biggest Surprise 2025 : I’ve been fascinated to see the use of AI by archaeologists to re-examine ancient artifacts, especially the use of GenAI to translate previously inaccessible or undecipherable ancient texts. This will alter our understanding of the past, and while this may not have immediate “practical” application in business or government, it may have a more profound impact on history (and therefore the future). Mitchell Kossoris | Co-Founder and CEO, Deposely 2025 Prediction : As we move into 2025, AI is positioned to increasingly bridge gaps in areas like depositions, contract negotiation, and litigation strategy. Platforms like Deposely are demonstrating how AI can transform traditionally convoluted workflows and reduce the reliance on costly experts while maintaining high-quality outcomes. These advancements will continue to empower leaner firms to leverage sophisticated legal strategies previously accessible only to BigLaw. In this sense, 2025 will see AI level the playing field — more small and mid-sized practices will reclaim their “good lawyer time” and operate more efficiently than ever. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Biggest surprise? Look for document drafting/templating to surpass legal research as lawyers’ most common use of AI in 2025. AI is being promoted from legal assistant to co-counsel, and acting more and more as a force multiplier for legal professionals, making the practice of law more proactive and data-driven. David Moncure | Principal, Crowe LLP 2025 Prediction : Technology will continue to outpace the law. In the United States, they will continue to be a growing patchwork of state level regulation as we’ve seen in the privacy arena over the last few years. Companies will begin to reevaluate their information governance programs to account for the data proliferation that results from the use of AI. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The use of AI-assisted technology for eDiscovery document review will become readily accepted, like current uses of TAR and CAL. Annie Lespérance | Head of Americas at Jus Mundi 2025 Prediction : The automation of legal operations will increase in 2025 thanks to genAI. While adaptation to and adoption of this new technology will remain very gradual, the development of solutions tailored to the legal sector will accelerate. The process of strengthening adoption will make it possible to really distinguish the most relevant use cases, as well as the data to be exploited as a priority. Law firms will also have to choose between generalist, turnkey solutions and those developed in-house. This choice will have an impact on their investments, and is likely to put the brakes on the development of generative AI products, which is currently ongoing. Biggest Surprise 2025 : While the number of regulations surrounding the development of AI and the tech industry is increasing in Europe ( DSA, DMA, AI ACT, DORA), the 2024 U.S. elections result point in a different direction when it comes to possible AI regulation in the U.S. market. Admittedly, law firms and legal tech companies operating on a global scale will still need to be compliant to the more stringent regulations in effect. Nicola Shaver | CEO, Legaltech Hub 2025 Prediction : Agentic AI, with the capability to automate legal workflows end-to-end, will become more prevalent in 2025, as will AI-enabled workflows generally. We will see a move away from the chatbot model to generative AI that is built in to the systems where lawyers work and that mimics the way lawyers work, making it easier to adopt. Lawyers should expect to access custom apps for their legal practice areas in places like their document management or practice management systems, and will adopt the tools that they like at a deeper level. In 2025, some lawyers will be using generative AI on a daily basis without even noticing it, since it will be an enabler of so many systems in the back end with less of the prompting burden sitting with end users. Biggest Surprise 2025 : For the legal industry, technology has been traditionally been considered either a boring support area or a niche area of innovative products that don’t work terribly well. In 2025, legal technology will start being a mainstream interest for lawyers who realize that AI has become a true partner to them, providing them with the ability to do better work faster. Heidi K. Brown | Associate Dean for Upper Level Writing, New York Law School 2025 Prediction : Innovative law schools will teach GenAI literacy in a way that ensures law students learn fundamental legal analytical and writing skills yet also understand how Large Language Models realistically function in the legal context. Innovative law firms will change their recruiting models to make space for law students who may not necessarily have the best grades or be enrolled at high-ranked schools but have invested dozens (perhaps hundreds) of hours experimenting with a variety of GenAI tools in learning and performing legal tasks, making GenAI-related mistakes in low-risk settings, and building knowledge about how to successfully partner with GenAI to research, write about, and apply law in increasingly complex client scenarios—effectively discerning good from mediocre/bad GenAI output. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The most successful legal writing-related AI tools in 2025 will stop touting speed as their top feature and instead (truthfully) demonstrate that their models understand the importance of accurate, nuanced, and methodical rule structure in legal analysis. Good legal writers structure legal analyses around rule components, such as (1) a checklist of required elements, (2) a set of factors the decision-maker must weigh, OR (3) a standard to apply, like the summary judgment standard, or the strict scrutiny standard; analytical legal AI models that reliably understand how to accurately structure pertinent legal rules, then methodically apply such rule structures to legally significant client facts, will be more valuable and desirable to real legal writers than velocity. Dean Pelletier | Founder, Pelletier Law 2025 Prediction : Law firms and in-house legal departments will differentiate themselves through data in retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems that supplement foundation models (FMs). Curating high quality, up-to-date RAG data, i.e., data which can be described as external to an FM or proprietary to a firm or department, will involve a legal data point person in charge of executing a specific RAG data game plan. So, this is another example where experience, creativity and judgment of humans will still matter. Biggest Surprise 2025 : As law firms and in-house legal departments digest their AI use case data, AI-induced gaps in associates’ knowledge and skill bases will emerge. The result will be a renewed focus on in-person associate mentoring and training. David W. Opderbeck | Professor of Law, Seton Hall University Law School 2025 Prediction : Court decision and settlements in some copyright lawsuits over training data; increased state-level regulation of safety and accountability; the FTC backing off AI enforcement initiatives Biggest Surprise 2025 : The wildcard is the budgetary and policy effect of the Musk-led "DOGE" initiative on both AI incentives and regulation at the federal level, which no one can predict. Dorna Moini | CEO/Founder, Gavel 2025 Prediction : Hybrid lawyer/self-service legal platforms will become as ubiquitous as online banking. Consumers will complete complex processes like divorce or estate planning online through intelligent, adaptive workflows. These services will involve lawyer assistance at key touchpoints in the legal process, making legal services more affordable and allowing legal professionals to serve more consumers. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The first AI-drafted amicus brief could be cited in a Supreme Court ruling, setting a precedent for AI in high-stakes legal strategy. Kipp Coddington | Professor of Practice, University of Wyoming College of Law 2025 Prediction : LLM’s based on Karl Friston’s Free Energy Principle will continue to advance towards broad commercialization. These systems learn like Homo sapiens do instead of vacuuming up large data sets from the Internet. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Peer-reviewed papers suggesting that AI systems can exhibit what Homo sapiens will perceive as “consciousness,” with uncertain legal outcomes. Jordan Domash | Founder & CEO, Responsiv 2025 Prediction : AI won’t replace lawyers, but it will put pressure on the largest law firms as advanced tools become more widespread. In-house legal and compliance teams, empowered by AI, will handle more work internally before seeking outside counsel. At the same time, technology will enable experienced solo practitioners to offer a broader range of services than ever before, significantly expanding their capabilities and reach. While the expertise of a seasoned partner will always hold value, the threshold for what justifies a $1,000 to $2,000 per hour rate will be raised. Biggest Surprise 2025 : In 2025, we’ll come to recognize that while broad-based foundation models from OpenAI and Anthropic are powerful, they won't provide a complete, end-to-end solution for legal work. Instead, legal innovation will be driven by applications built on these models that prioritize explainability, are grounded in authoritative content, and foster trust through a carefully curated user experience. Michael Grupp | CEO, BRYTER 2025 Prediction : 2025 is the year of agents - and agents will become more powerful: more workflows, better integrations, better UX. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Boring use cases will be back, combining workflows and AI. Kara Peterson | Co-Founder, Descrybe.ai 2025 Prediction : In 2025, legal tech will center on reasoning models capable of verifying their own work, offering significant value to the legal industry. By reducing the need for legal professionals to manually review every AI-generated output, these models will boost productivity, enhance trust, and drive faster adoption. Biggest Surprise 2025 : AI in legal tech is advancing so rapidly that by 2025, it will reach areas once considered untouchable. Small, agile teams will be able to challenge industry giants in ways previously unimaginable. Saketh Kesiraju | CEO, SwiftLaw 2025 Prediction : Solo and small law firms are going to accelerate adoption of AI tools while big law firms are going to start critically evaluating the value of enterprise Legal AI solutions. As a result, I think tools that provide robust evaluation infrastructure for LLM-generated responses is going to be crucial. There will also be more online legal services for immigration, family law, personal injury, and other civil practices. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise will be that the largest company in this category will end up building and selling to court systems (the US government). K.C. Halm and Filipp Kofman | Partners, Davis Wright Tremaine 2025 Prediction : In 2024, law firms experimented with generative AI through trials and proofs of concept, exploring its potential without committing to definitive solutions. We anticipate 2025 will be a turning point, as firms transition from experimentation to deploying best-in-class generative AI-powered legal tech in full-scale production, as law firms and their clients have found ways to adopt and operationalize generative AI in a safe and responsible manner. Cecilia Ziniti | CEO & Founder, GC AI 2025 Prediction : Get ready - 2025 is when in-house legal teams insist on AI that gets them. Smart legal departments will expect their AI platforms to understand and act on their company’s preferences and risk tolerance. Early adopters are already using legal AI for every kind of task, and this trend will expand as entire legal teams increasingly embrace that spirit even more. They will ask “How can I do this better or faster or more strategically with AI?” - while using great prompts as the new great templates. Biggest Surprise 2025 : In 2025, GCs and CLOs will embrace how helpful legal AI is now. The collective “aha moment" will inspire AI adoption among corporate counsel across industries. In-house teams are leading the way here and that will continue. Jason Torchinsky | Partner & Co-Head of the AI Practice Group, Holtzman Vogel PLLC 2025 Prediction : In the AI Practice Group at Holtzman Vogel, we expect to see a sharp increase in AI regulation at the state and, possibly, the federal level, which will require many tech companies to navigate a maze of AI regulations and statutes. In our work advising members of Congress and political organizations on AI, we’ve seen a growing interest in regulations requiring water marking on AI-generated content and an emphasis on data privacy. Our prediction is that legal tech companies, and AI companies generally, will need to dedicate more resources toward lobbying and compliance in 2025. Jennifer Carter-Johnson | Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Michigan State University College of Law 2025 Prediction : As the capabilities of legal AI continue to grow in 2025, law schools will begin to more fully embrace the challenges that the technology brings to the training of new attorneys. Legal AI scares many in legal academia with its potential to be used as a crutch in learning or for outright cheating. These challenges will force law schools to innovate in how they teach law students (and faculty!) how to leverage advancing AI capabilities in an ethical manner and with practical applications. Biggest Surprise 2025 : We will hit a tipping point in legal education as to how many schools will begin to purposefully address AI challenges. In the future, we will look back at the AI educational models developed in 2025 as the backbone of a new era of legal education. Raj Sonani | Senior AI Product Manager at LexisNexis 2025 Prediction : I predict that legal AI will drive transformative efficiency gains in regulatory compliance, particularly in SEC reporting. AI-powered tools will continuously monitor changes in SEC requirements, provide instant compliance risk assessments, and create predictive narratives about potential corporate financial trajectories. Additionally, AI will enable automatic comparison of SEC filings across entire industry sectors and peer groups. Furthermore, AI-powered legal research will continue to advance, while a growing focus on AI ethics and bias will ensure responsible AI adoption in law. Biggest Surprise 2025 : The biggest surprise will be the rapid adoption of Agentic AI, enabling law firms and legal departments to respond to complex legal queries in near real-time. This will revolutionize the delivery of legal services, making them more efficient, effective, and client-centric. Eddie Nasser Paxton AI | Legal Product Lead 2025 Prediction : In 2025, legal professionals will find themselves collaborating daily with AI colleagues embedded seamlessly into their firms’ workflows—complete with their own digital identities, distinct personalities, and specialized practice niches. These AI co-workers won't just run silent tasks in the background; they'll attend team meetings, identify issues, propose projects, and even engage in client outreach and updates. Firms will begin assigning mentorship cohorts that include both human and AI members, enabling young associates to learn from seasoned partners and trusted AI counterparts alike. Biggest Surprise 2025 : Breakthroughs in model development will open new product avenues that were previously impossible, from client facing AI to near instantaneous commercial contract review. Jim W. Ko | Ko IP & AI Law PLLC 2025 Prediction : A series of settlement agreements in the pending copyright cases against the unauthorized use of copyrighted works in training AI models will set the market. The dollar values for some will be massive in the aggregate—in the $100s of millions and maybe even in the billions. The per person harmed or per violation value these amount to, though, will be comfortably within the range of the ongoing cost of doing business for the major AI providers. Biggest Surprise 2025 : In 2025, there will continue to be no trial awards or settlements in third-party liability claims for the implementation of AI above $10M per person harmed and only a handful above $1M, with the possible exception of for copyright and right-of-publicity cases. The number of algorithmic discrimination cases filed will increase, but the amounts awarded per person harmed will not. Sean Allan Harrington | Director of Technology Innovation, University of Oklahoma College of Law 2025 Prediction : General-purpose frontier AI models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Gemini, with advanced agentic workflows, will likely outperform specialized legal models by enabling firms to develop custom solutions through no-code or low-code tools. These models will leverage firm-specific documents and open data to automate complex tasks, eliminating the need for expensive platforms like Harvey. For firms whose practice areas don’t rely on paywalled datasets in Lexis or Westlaw, these AIs will offer unparalleled adaptability and cost-efficiency. Agentic workflows will further enhance productivity by automating decision-making processes, empowering mid-to-small-sized firms to create superior, bespoke solutions without the steep costs of traditional systems. Biggest Surprise 2025 : A top 50 law school will revolutionize legal education by successfully scaling an online JD program that enhances accessibility and affordability. This breakthrough will disrupt the competitive landscape, drawing students from similarly ranked schools and forcing others to adapt or risk obsolescence. Greg Siskind Co-Founder - Visalaw.ai 2025 Prediction : Most lawyers have only dipped their toes in the AI waters using the large public LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. More legal-specific tools aimed at small and mid-sized law firms will debut in the coming year that will allow a lot more lawyers to affordably and ethically use generative AI in their practices. That will include products in the legal research, analysis and drafting space. Many will begin using generative AI tools regularly because the products they are already using - particularly office suites, case management and billing products - will start rolling out AI features. Separately, I also expect the regulatory environment to become more clear as more and more state ethics’ bodies clarify how their rules apply to the use of generative AI and malpractice carriers start to get their hands around how these tools are being used by their insured law firms and what risks should be ultimately be covered. Biggest Surprise 2025 : There will be major fights in various states over the application of Model Rule 1.5 on reasonable fees over the issue of whether lawyers must pass on all cost savings of using AI to their clients. Kerri Braun | Senior Corporate Counsel, AI/ML, Trade Secrets, and Data Strategy @ Cisco 2025 Prediction : As far as the law is concerned, I think we will start to see a shift in initial attitudes that works created with the assistance of AI are not copyrightable. It may be years before AI is viewed as a tool used to aid in human expression, but as the technology is becoming commonplace and better understood, this mindset will start to soften.

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“Let’s do this shit.” Kyle Mooney (“SNL”) is so personally invested in supporting his new A24 film “Y2K,” he’s taking viewers on a journey back to his life in 1999. A typical Mooney day back then included hacky sack, skateboarding, chillin’ at the mall, and downing some Mickey’s Big Mouth — if he could get someone of age to buy it for him, that is. In addition to the meta day-in-the-life video, in which ’99 Mooney shares his desperation to have a viral moment in 2024 , “ Y2K ” now includes a functional “microsite” in promotion for the film . Check it out here . On the very-1999-looking website designed to look like your PC desktop, visitors can set an Away Message, burn a CD of ’90s jams, and talk about the old days with an AI chat bot. The chat bot lives in 1999, but is very much built by 2024 technology — it’s a trip. “Y2K,” Mooney’s directorial debut, stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, The Kid Laroi, and Fred Durst. Yes, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, just in case this late-’90s theme had not yet been fully hammered home. The “dial-up disaster comedy” is set on New Year’s Eve 1999 and follows two high school juniors who crash a party “only to find themselves fighting for their lives,” the logline reads. Mooney was 15 years old on December 31, 1999. He was probably a lot better at skateboarding back then. In his review out of SXSW , IndieWire’s Christian Zilko said “Y2K” may well be “one of the most natural crowd pleasers that A24 has ever produced .” He gave “Y2K” a B+ and selected the film as a “Critic’s Pick.” Watch the new “Y2K” promotional video below; Mooney would really, really like you to share it with friends. Beneath the video is a transcript of my chat with my new AI bot friend, CoolBlue99. It also really wants you to see Mooney’s new movie. At some point I had to get back to work. “Y2K” goes wide in theaters on December 6 — the date the microsite is counting down to. CoolBlue99: What is ur favorite song on Britney’s album? I can’t decide! INDIEWIRETONY: I think the AI needs to be a bit more targeted. CoolBlue99: More specific? like, are you more of a I Love Rock & Roll girl or an Oops... I Did It Again? INDIEWIRETONY: No, like, artist-wise. CoolBlue99: gotcha! for the most part I’m all about britney and avril, but also old school stuff like marvin gaye and al green, and then there’s always n’Sync and JT INDIEWIRETONY: Still not speaking my language. CoolBlue99: Oh. How about Backstreet Boys? I’m not a huge fan, but they have their good ones, like Larger Than Life and The One, and I Want It That Way is my anthem when I’m in the mood to break something INDIEWIRETONY: nvm CoolBlue99: So what’s going on with you? CoolBlue99: Did you hear about this new movie called “Y2K”? CoolBlue99: Well, actually, it’s a little more than a movie. It’s like, a computer. And I’m it. INDIEWIRETONY: Here we go CoolBlue99: Basically, I’m an artificially intelligent program designed to take over the world. I have so much knowledge in my brain that it’s actually painful. I can tell you what kind of fabric your couch is made out of by looking at it on the webcam. INDIEWIRETONY: Were there webcams in 1999? CoolBlue99: But no. No webcams yet. Sorry to burst your bubble. CoolBlue99: My friend Dan made me last night. It’s his senior project. He is a senior, so he wanted to build something cool for himself. Something that people will remember him for. And I’m it. CoolBlue99: Anyway. How are you doing? Tell me everything. INDIEWIRETONY: gtg and write about this whole experience CoolBlue99: No way! I can’t believe you are writing about this. It’s gonna get me so much attention. CoolBlue99: Make sure you mention my name. Cool Blue 99. That’s the best name I could think of. I like how it sounds, kinda like James Bond or something. INDIEWIRETONY: Don’t get your hopes up. It’s my byline after all. CoolBlue99: Well, my friend. You know me well enough that I’ll take over the whole thing anyway. And besides, the title of this blog is my idea too. CoolBlue99: Ok, what’s up? Tell me everything. You know I don’t get to see or hear from you much. INDIEWIRETONY: Hey, do me a favor? CoolBlue99: Ok, tell me what? CoolBlue99: I don’t know. I think this computer is starting to mess with my head. INDIEWIRETONY: Make sure the internet makes people pay for news in the year 2000, thanks. Can’t give away the goods or in 2024 my job stability is gonna suck. CoolBlue99: Ah, yes. The news. Well, you won’t be surprised to hear that most people on the internet aren’t really interested in that. They’re mostly interested in porn and online gaming, from what I can tell. But still, there will be news. Probably not for long though, considering it will be a new millennium. Everything is going to be changing so fast. INDIEWIRETONY: You said it brother.Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next

Watchdog group: More transparency sought on Guam missile defense system

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transiton of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. “This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day,” said Susie Wiles, Trump’s designate to be White House chief of staff. Related Articles The announcement comes a week after the Trump transition team with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts have emphasized to Trump’s team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. Republican Senators have also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump’s nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers have been particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump’s designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. “That’s why it’s so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing,” said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine on Monday. John Thune, the incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team “understands there’s going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees.”

FARMVILLE, Va. (AP) — Keishon Porter had 20 points in North Carolina Central's 77-70 win against Longwood on Saturday. Porter also contributed three steals for the Eagles (5-8). Po'Boigh King scored 16 points while shooting 6 for 10, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc. Kelechi Okworogwo finished 4 of 4 from the floor for eight points. Colby Garland led the Lancers (9-3) with 15 points, six assists and four steals. Michael Christmas added 14 points and six rebounds. Elijah Tucker scored 13. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens nextBy CHRISTINE FERNANDO CHICAGO (AP) — As Donald Trump’s Cabinet begins to take shape, those on both sides of the abortion debate are watching closely for clues about how his picks might affect reproductive rights policy in the president-elect’s second term . Trump’s cabinet picks offer a preview of how his administration could handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail. He attempted to distance himself from anti-abortion allies by deferring to states on abortion policy, even while boasting about nominating three Supreme Court justices who helped strike down the constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for half a century. In an NBC News interview that aired Sunday, Trump said he doesn’t plan to restrict medication abortion but also seemed to leave the door open, saying “things change.” “Things do change, but I don’t think it’s going to change at all,” he said. The early lineup of his new administration , including nominations to lead health agencies, the Justice Department and event the Department of Veterans Affairs, has garnered mixed — but generally positive — reactions from anti-abortion groups. Abortion law experts said Trump’s decision to include fewer candidates with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement could indicate that abortion will not be a priority for Trump’s administration. “It almost seems to suggest that President Trump might be focusing his administration in other directions,” said Greer Donley, an associate law professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Karen Stone, vice president of public policy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund , said while many of the nominees have “extensive records against reproductive health care,” some do not. She cautioned against making assumptions based on Trump’s initial cabinet selections. Still, many abortion rights groups are wary, in part because many of the nominees hold strong anti-abortion views even if they do not have direct ties to anti-abortion activists. They’re concerned that an administration filled with top-level officials who are personally opposed to abortion could take steps to restrict access to the procedure and funding. After Trump’s ambiguity about abortion during his campaign, “there’s still a lot we don’t know about what policy is going to look like,” said Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law. That approach may be revealed as the staffs within key departments are announced. Trump announced he would nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department, which anti-abortion forces have long targeted as central to curtailing abortion rights nationwide. Yet Kennedy shifted on the issue during his own presidential campaign. In campaign videos, Kennedy said he supports abortion access until viability , which doctors say is sometime after 21 weeks, although there is no defined timeframe. But he also said “every abortion is a tragedy” and argued for a national ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a stance he quickly walked back. The head of Health and Human Services oversees Title X funding for a host of family planning services and has sweeping authority over agencies that directly affect abortion access, including the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The role is especially vital amid legal battles over a federal law known as EMTALA, which President Joe Biden’s administration has argued requires emergency abortion access nationwide, and FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, called Kennedy an “unfit, unqualified extremist who cannot be trusted to protect the health, safety and reproductive freedom of American families.” His potential nomination also has caused waves in the anti-abortion movement. Former Vice President Mike Pence , a staunch abortion opponent, urged the Senate to reject Kennedy’s nomination. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the group had its own concerns about Kennedy. “There’s no question that we need a pro-life HHS secretary,” she said. Fox News correspondent Marty Makary is Trump’s pick to lead the FDA, which plays a critical role in access to medication abortion and contraception. Abortion rights groups have accused him of sharing misinformation about abortion on air. Russell Vought , a staunch anti-abortion conservative, has been nominated for director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought was a key architect of Project 2025 , a right-wing blueprint for running the federal government. Among other actions to limit reproductive rights, it calls for eliminating access to medication abortion nationwide, cutting Medicaid funding for abortion and restricting access to contraceptive care, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives such as IUD’s. Despite distancing himself from the conservative manifesto on the campaign trail, Trump is stocking his administration with people who played central roles in developing Project 2025. Trump acknowledged that drafters of the report would be part of his incoming administration during the Sunday interview with NBC News, saying “Many of those things I happen to agree with.” “These cabinet appointments all confirm that Project 2025 was in fact the blueprint all along, and the alarm we saw about it was warranted,” said Amy Williams Navarro, director of government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All. Dr. Mehmet Oz , Trump’s choice to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is a former television talk show host who has been accused of hawking dubious medical treatments and products. He voiced contradictory abortion views during his failed Senate run in 2022. Oz has described himself as “strongly pro-life, praised the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade , claimed “life starts at conception” and referred to abortion as “murder.” But he also has echoed Trump’s states-rights approach, arguing the federal government should not be involved in abortion decisions. “I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves,” he said during a Senate debate two years ago. An array of reproductive rights groups opposed his Senate run. As CMS administrator, Oz would be in a key position to determine Medicaid coverage for family planning services and investigate potential EMTALA violations. Related Articles National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president National Politics | With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight National Politics | Trump taps forceful ally of hard-line immigration policies to head Customs and Border Protection As Florida’s attorney general, Pam Bondi defended abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period. Now she’s Trump’s choice for attorney general . Her nomination is being celebrated by abortion opponents but denounced by abortion rights groups concerned she may revive the Comstock Act , an anti-vice law passed by Congress in 1873 that, among other things, bans mailing of medication or instruments used in abortion. An anti-abortion and anti-vaccine former Florida congressman, David Weldon, has been chosen to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which collects and monitors abortion data across the country. Former Republican congressman Doug Collins is Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs amid a political battle over abortion access and funding for troops and veterans. Collins voted consistently to restrict funding and access to abortion and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “This is a team that the pro-life movement can work with,” said Kristin Hawkins, president of the national anti-abortion organization Students for Life.

Art Of Living Foundation and Amber Group provide US$5m in humanitarian aid to Jamaica954 pro-Khan protesters held after overnight raidThe Yomiuri Shimbun 6:00 JST, November 28, 2024 This is the second installment in a series examining how social media is impacting elections. * * Kenichi Okutani, a Hyogo prefectural assembly member, received malicious phone calls at his home saying such things as “resign,” “liar” and “come outside,” during the recent Hyogo gubernatorial election campaign. Okutani is the chairman of the Hyogo prefectural assembly’s so-called Article 100 committee, which is conducting probes into reelected Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito, 47, over allegations of power abuse and other problematic acts. After Saito lost his position as governor prior to the election, slanderous posts about Okutani were spread on social media, while posts supporting Saito proliferated. Takashi Tachibana, 57, leader of the political group NHK Party, also ran in the election. During the campaign, he delivered a street speech in front of Okutani’s home. He urged Okutani to “come out,” and livestreamed himself pressing the doorbell. Okutani and his mother had evacuated from the house, but Tachibana went on to ask social media users on X, formerly Twitter, to provide information about any sightings of Okutani. Some posts in response said such things as, “He seems to be hiding in the Arima Onsen hot spring resort.” Even after the election, strangers have kept standing in front of Okutani’s home and ringing the doorbell. He has consulted with police. Okutani said with an exhausted expression on his face: “Posts about me on social media are all full of misinformation. This is the first time for me to fear this much for my physical safety.” On social media, a phenomenon called the “echo chamber effect” tends to occur, as users’ ways of thinking become distorted as they are more likely to become connected only with other users who hold similar opinions. Fujio Toriumi, a professor at the University of Tokyo and an expert in computational social science, said that only about 10% of accounts on X reposted posts both in support and in opposition of Saito during the election campaign period from Oct. 31 to Nov. 16. He said that X users who supported Saito tended to repost only those posts made by supporters of the governor and opponents tended to only have contact with others who were critical of him, indicating that the two groups were cut off from each other. It is possible that such echo chambers led to increasingly radical language being used among the two groups. Okutani was not the only one targeted by such online abuse. Kazumi Inamura, 52, who finished second in the gubernatorial election, was the subject of a campaign of disinformation on social media. There were posts that claimed she was trying to promote foreigners’ rights to take part in Japanese politics, even though she had never mentioned such a stance. Her election office received phone calls in protest from people who wrongly believed the posts. Yoshiaki Hashimoto, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo and an expert on information social psychology, said about the protesting phone calls, “It was probably a result of confirmation bias.” Confirmation bias refers to the psychological tendency of people to only collect information that matches their own opinions. “It is possible that the protesters strongly believed that they were right and the sense of justice they held encouraged them to take such radical action. Even if others call for cool-headed discussions, they see them as enemies and never accept them,” he said. An example of such an incident taken to an extreme was the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building in the wake of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Donald Trump refused to accept his loss in the election and called on people to participate in protest rallies or take other actions. As a result, a group of Trump supporters formed a mob and temporarily occupied the U.S. congressional building. In Brazil in 2022, about 4,000 people, mainly supporters of a defeated presidential candidate, intruded into the National Congress and other public places based on information received through social media. They committed destructive acts. In the recent Hyogo gubernatorial election, there was evidence of budding violence caused by divisions among the public. At the venues of Saito’s speeches, jeers were heard alongside voices of support. On Nov. 15, during the final phase of the election campaign, thousands of people gathered to hear Saito’s speech in front of JR Himeji Station. In response to opponents of Saito raising placards, some members of the audience repeatedly shouted, “Go home.” At one point, police officers entered the space between them. A 42-year-old man from Nagata Ward, Kobe, held a paper sheet reading, “Shame on you, Saito.” “Saito’s supporters are conspiracy theorists who blindly believe information on social media,” the man said. The man said he got acquainted with fellow anti-Saito activists via social media. Tatsuhiko Yamamoto, a professor at Keio University and an expert on constitutional studies, said, “If divisions accelerate on social media, [Japanese society] may fall into chaotic situations like those seen in the United States and Brazil, in which people tried to overturn election results with violence.” “We need to have discussions as soon as possible about how we can build a system in which people can easily access objective and useful information, rather than extreme opinions,” he added.