AI Legislation: Hot Topics for 2025

Are you confused about AI legislation in different countries?

Are you worried about whether your LSPs are using AI ethically and responsibly for your projects?

When it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), our clients understandably have a lot of questions. As well as choosing the most effective and cost-efficient tools for their localization projects, they want to be sure they’re using the technology safely and responsibly.

At Rubric, we have the expertise to help you navigate the fast-changing AI landscape. In August 2024, we shared how governments worldwide are racing to develop AI legislation to protect businesses and consumers. The challenge for our global clients is that regulatory approaches vary across countries, regions, and even US states. What’s more, existing legislation is still in its infancy and is evolving all the time.

Our IT Director Dominic Spurling commented:

“AI-powered localization is more reliable than ever, but robust performance depends on careful implementation and curation. For example, training datasets must be clean and privacy-compliant to achieve consistent accuracy while minimizing legal and reputational risk for global organizations.”

This makes it more important than ever to work with a trusted localization partner like Rubric, who can help you stay on the right side of the rules wherever you operate.

Different rules, different tools

Did you know that the AI tools available to you may depend on your location?

For example, OpenAI (creator of ChatGPT) launched its Sora text-to-video generator in December 2024. This tool uses AI to create video content based on the user’s text prompts—making a previously resource-intensive communications channel accessible to everyone. However, while it’s been widely rolled out, Sora is not currently available in the EU, Switzerland, or the UK for regulatory reasons.

A key issue is that OpenAI hasn’t been able to demonstrate that Sora meets the high levels of transparency and control required by the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, which became law in 2024. This could change—but for now, our European clients need to look to alternative solutions for their video creation.

AI providers in the dock

The increased scrutiny of AI is evident in the wave of recent lawsuits against various software providers, including major players like OpenAI, Microsoft, and chipmaker Nvidia.

A common complaint is copyright infringement: claims that AI companies have illegally used copyrighted material to train their models. While the AI providers say this amounts to “fair use” of the content, copyright holders disagree, fearing their work will be plagiarized or used to create competitor content.

Questions have also been raised around intellectual property—specifically, whether an AI tool can be named as the inventor of a product for patent purposes. The UK Supreme Court, in line with other major jurisdictions, has ruled that only a “natural person” can secure patent rights as an inventor. However, it’s one to watch as our relationship with AI continues to evolve, with the tools increasingly supporting human innovation.

Another hot topic is accountability for AI’s environmental impact. The technology currently relies heavily on data centers, whose high levels of greenhouse-gas emissions and water usage have prompted calls for a more sustainable solution. This is something to be mindful of for clients who, like Rubric, aim to minimize their environmental impact.? ?

What might 2025 bring?

There’s little doubt the coming year will throw up further practical, legal, and ethical questions around the use of AI, as the world figures out how to safely harness this growing power. National approaches will continue to evolve, and nowhere more so than in the US under Donald Trump’s second presidential term.

While certain states (including Colorado and Illinois) have enacted their own AI legislation, there is no single, federal approach. President Biden took steps towards this, issuing an executive order on AI that prioritized safety, security, and trust, but this has since been overturned by a new order from Trump, entitled “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence”. True to the President’s pro-growth, low-regulation policy agenda, the focus is now on “clearing a path for the United States to act decisively to retain global leadership in artificial intelligence”.

Meanwhile, the UK government has launched its AI Opportunities Action Plan, aimed at boosting growth and transforming public services. It will be interesting to see if the drive for productivity brings about a change in attitudes to regulation.

At Rubric, we will continue monitoring the regulatory environment to guide our clients to the right solution for them. We’re excited about the many ways AI can add value in the localization process, from increasing accuracy and agility to cutting costs and turnaround times. Regulation is one aspect that needs to be considered. At Rubric we take a holistic view and ensure any AI solution is working as you need it. We benchmark translation quality over time to ensure that the AI used in our translation processes gives consistent results every time. ?

If you’re interested in learning more about how Rubric facilitates effective use of AI and quality controls, then get in touch with us. Our expert team will be happy to discuss your needs and take the hard work off your hands.

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