AI, Law & the Deal: Rob Taylor on Risk, IP, and Post-Merger Reality

AI isn’t just a buzzword in deal rooms—it’s changing how due diligence, contracts, privacy, and integration actually work after close. In this episode, Lisa sits down with tech lawyer Rob Taylor to unpack what “AI risk” really means, why lawyers must understand the technology to spot legal exposure, and how companies can move fast and responsibly. Rob shares practical frameworks from hundreds of AI solution reviews, dives into agentic AI (and why risk goes up when the human leaves the loop), and explains common contract myths—like over-relying on vendor indemnities.

What You’ll Learn

• Why real AI risk assessment starts with understanding the tech (data flows, inputs/outputs, model behavior)
• How to scope AI due diligence in M&A: model licensing, data rights, bias testing, and post-close liability
• Agentic AI vs. “plain” generative AI—and what that means for governance and oversight
• The truth about indemnities in AI contracts (and why deployers still carry duties)
• Copyright & IP in AI-generated works—what’s unsettled and how to think about ownership today
• Practical first steps to adopt AI responsibly without over-engineering

Key Takeaways

• Tech first, then law: If you don’t understand the architecture and data flows, you’ll miss the legal risk.
• Human-in-the-loop matters: As systems become more agentic and autonomous, oversight must increase.
• DD for AI is specific: Go beyond licenses—probe training data, testing for bias, monitoring, and downstream use.
• Indemnity ≠ immunity: Deployers still have duties to prevent harms; don’t outsource responsibility.
• IP is evolving: Treat AI like a tool—document meaningful human direction and edits.

Connect

• Rob Taylor, JD: LinkedIn; Carstens, Allen & Gourley LLP; NXTSolve
• In2Edge: Post-acquisition integration, contract management, and hands-on transition execution. Learn more at In2Edge.com.

If today’s conversation hit home—especially around AI-heavy diligence or integration—follow and share M&A+: The Art After the Deal. And if you’re navigating a complex transition, In2Edge can help you turn strategy into working systems.