As the government, private sector and investors pour billions of dollars into North Carolina to advance artificial intelligence (AI), Smith Anderson technology attorney Darrell Hulse joined a panel of forward-thinking, tech-driven leaders to delve into AI's promising yet complicated future. Round Table Hosted by Business North Carolina magazine.
As AI advances at an accelerated pace, the state is quickly becoming a hub for AI development. BNC He cites an example of computing giant Lenovo partnering with North Carolina State University to pioneer geospatial AI to optimize agricultural applications. The effort is supported by a $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation to explore the impact of AI on education, putting North Carolina at the forefront of AI innovation.
The roundtable gathered diverse perspectives from Darrell and other North Carolina technology thought leaders, including:
- Richard Boyd, co-founder and chairman of UltiSim
- Bojan Cukic, Dean of the School of Computing and Information at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Peter Goldstein, Chief Product and AI Strategist, Hearst
- Alice McClure, Director of Product Marketing, SAS
- Todd Olson, CEO of Pendo
Darrell highlighted the multifaceted role AI plays in the business world, noting that Smith Anderson is using AI to help clients in a variety of applications, from oncology and imaging to job candidate screening. One challenge Darrell identified is holding AI systems accountable when they fail. While the potential of AI is great, so are the challenges it brings, especially around accountability and accuracy. For example, Darrell added, large language models can produce misleading information.
“My company, Smith Anderson, uses AI in certain applications, and I'm actually leading a task force there to look at whether we need to use it more and how we should use it responsibly,” Darrell said.
Darrell spoke about the complexities of regulating AI technologies, citing the contrasting approaches of risk-based regulation in the European Union and the focus on self-regulation and voluntary standards in the U.S. In addition, the regulatory environment is becoming more complex as technology advances rapidly and laws struggle to keep up with innovation.
“I don't know how to regulate all of this… By the time the hearings are over, the technology has already changed,” Darrell said, adding that crafting regulations that protect profits without stifling innovation is a big challenge, but it's exciting to be part of the effort to overcome that challenge.
Darrell focuses on life sciences, clean technology and software, helping innovative companies develop and commercialize new technologies. As a leader in Smith Anderson's Technology and Software Transactions Group, he regularly advises clients providing AI solutions for drug discovery, oncology imaging, human resources, supply chain management, fraud detection and other emerging applications. He also develops guidelines for the responsible use of AI tools across a wide range of client organizations. Outside of work, Darrell creates unique pet portraits that use AI to visualize a pet's genetic code. Darrell is America's Best Lawyers® (2018-2024).
A PDF of the full discussion is available here , and video excerpts can be viewed here and below.
