“AI is no longer tomorrow’s challenge, it is a present reality today. It is already shaping how state and non-state actors gather information, analyze risks, make decisions and conduct operations. To effectively navigate the challenged caused by AI, the role of legal professionals is crucial,” stated NCIA General Manager Ludwig Decamps. “As legal experts, you define the boundaries between acceptable risk and unacceptable harm. Your insights shape policy and practices that ensure AI technologies are deployed in a responsible and ethical way.”
During the two-day event, panel discussions focused on the policymaking, internal governance, accountability aspects and ethical considerations related to the use and implementation of dual-use AI applications. The event featured a curated mix of keynote addresses, interactive panels with Q&As, and networking opportunities.
After the opening remarks by NCIA General Manager Ludwig Decamps, the panel discussions of day one focused on the legal boundaries and best practices of AI in Intelligence Operations, cybersecurity and AI, and international humanitarian law in the age of AI. These panels included the perspectives of experts from NCIA and the private sector, such as Palantir, Microsoft and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The second day included panels discussing liability and accountability, data privacy and security, and procurement with AI experts from NATO bodies such as the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, as well as the perspective of industry and academia, such as Timelex and KU Leuven, amongst many others. Before the closing sessions in the afternoon, Oleksii Plotnikov, Captain of Legal Service at the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine gave a keynote speech on the legal regulations of AI in military use.
The General Counsel Roundtable 2025 was the second edition of this event, following the first ever NCIA legal conference in 2023 at the NCI Academy in Oeiras, Portugal.