Overview 

AI and automation are advancing at a pace that far outstrips the law intended to regulate them. This gap leaves businesses, legal practitioners, and policymakers navigating uncertain and incomplete frameworks, even as the risks are already real from ownership disputes over AI-generated content, to liability for algorithmic decision-making, to compliance challenges under privacy laws such as POPIA. 

Because regulation has not yet caught up, the responsibility falls on those using, advising on, or regulating AI to anticipate risks and proactively embed legal foresight into their practices. This includes drafting contracts that allocate accountability clearly, establishing governance structures that ensure oversight, and addressing ethical considerations before disputes or regulatory action arise. 

Join Adv Dwight Snyman on 22 October 2025 from 13:00 to 14:30 as he provides legal practitioners and professionals with a structured framework to understand, navigate, and mitigate the legal risks of AI and automation. 

Learning objectives 

Attending this webinar will equip you with the following skills: 

• A grounded awareness of the current legal landscape; understanding both South African and international contexts to recognise where the rules are firm and where they are still developing. 

•  The ability to identify key areas of legal exposure; including intellectual property, data protection, liability, contractual risk, and employment issues, so they can detect potential problems early. 

•  Practical strategies for managing AI-related risks; such as drafting stronger contractual clauses and establishing governance processes that ensure oversight and accountability. 

•  Greater confidence in providing legal or strategic advice; using established legal principles and proactive policy-making to navigate areas where regulations remain uncertain. 

•  A proactive mindset toward shaping AI and automation practices; seeing themselves as active participants in creating safe, ethical, and legally sound systems rather than waiting for regulations to dictate action. 

Content 

The webinar will cover the following topics: 

• Introduction to AI and Automation in Legal Context 

  • Definition and scope of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) 

  • Automation technologies and autonomous systems 

  • Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) 

  • Distinction between narrow AI, general AI, and artificial superintelligence 

  • Regulatory lag and emerging legal frameworks 

    

• Intellectual Property (IP) Regime Implications 

  • Authorship and ownership of AI-generated works 

  • Copyright subsistence and originality requirements 

  • Determining the “author” in AI-assisted creation 

  • Patent law and AI-generated inventions 

  • Inventorship requirements under patent statutes 

  • Patentability criteria and inventive step analysis 

  • Trade secrets and confidential information 

  • AI system training on proprietary datasets 

  • Misappropriation risks in algorithmic outputs 

  • Licensing and contractual IP provisions 

  • Allocation of rights in AI service agreements 

  • Moral rights and waiver clauses 

• Data Protection and Privacy Law 

  • Regulatory compliance frameworks 

  • Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) 

  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comparative obligations 

  • Automated decision-making provisions 

  • Right to human intervention 

  • Transparency, explainability, and algorithmic accountability 

  • Lawful processing principles 

  • Consent, legitimate interests, and minimality 

  • Cross-border data transfer restrictions 

  • Data anonymisation and pseudonymisation 

  • Techniques and legal sufficiency tests 

    

• Liability Regimes 

  • Delictual liability (tort law) in AI context 

  • Negligence and foreseeability in autonomous decision-making 

  • Duty of care in AI system deployment 

  • Product liability and defective software 

  • Applicability of strict liability principles 

  • Distinction between hardware and software defects 

  • Vicarious liability 

  • Liability allocation between developers, deployers, and users 

  • Contractual liability 

  • Breach of AI performance warranties 

  • Indemnity and limitation of liability clauses 

• Contractual Governance 

  • AI-specific clauses 

  • Model performance standards and service-level agreements (SLAs) 

  • Data use restrictions and audit rights 

  • Risk allocation provisions 

  • Liability caps for algorithmic errors 

  • IP indemnities and infringement warranties 

  • Termination triggers 

  • Regulatory non-compliance 

  • Material change in AI system capabilities 

• Employment and Labour Law Implications 

  • Automation-induced workforce reductions 

  • Retrenchment procedures under labour statutes 

  • Algorithmic management and surveillance 

  • Monitoring compliance with workplace privacy rights 

  • Discrimination risks in AI recruitment tools 

  • Indirect bias and disparate impact analysis 

   

• Consumer Protection 

  • Disclosure requirements 

  • Duty to inform consumers of AI interaction 

  • Misrepresentation and deceptive practices 

  • AI-generated content in advertising and commerce 

  • Consumer redress mechanisms 

  • Complaint handling for automated decision-making 

• Regulatory and Policy Developments 

  • International instruments 

  • EU AI Act risk classification system 

  • OECD and UNESCO AI ethics guidelines 

  • South African policy proposals 

  • SABS technical standards for AI systems 

  • Potential AI-specific legislative reforms 

• Ethical and Governance Frameworks 

  • Algorithmic accountability 

  • Model documentation and audit trails 

  • Bias and fairness assessments 

  • Statistical parity and disparate treatment analysis 

  • Human-in-the-loop oversight 

  • Hybrid decision-making structures 

    

• Risk Management and Compliance Strategies 

  • AI risk registers and governance committees 

  • Periodic model validation and compliance audits 

  • Incident reporting protocols for AI failures 

  • Continuous legal horizon scanning for AI developments 

About the presenter 

Adv. Dwight Snyman 

Adv. Dwight Snyman is an admitted member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates and is accredited by the Legal Practitioners Council as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa. Adv. Snyman completed articles of clerkship, and attorney’s competency exams under the auspices of the Wits Law Clinic. He completed his Advocacy pupillage under the tutelage of the esteemed Adv. Louis Du Bruyn. 

Adv. Snyman has had opportunity and success in litigation, in the High and Magistrates’ Courts of the republic, the CCMA, Disciplinary Hearings and assorted other venues and forums, and has become possessed of practical litigation experience beyond what would normally be expected from a practitioner of his age and seniority. He is the holder of a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from the University of Cape Town, and postgraduate Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of the Witwatersrand, for which he was accorded the honour of being on the Dean’s list for his academic performance. 

Who should attend? 

The following persons will benefit from attending this webinar: 

• Advocates. 

• Attorneys. 

• HR personnel. 

• Corporate Legal Professionals. 

• Legal Academics. 

• Union leaders/ representatives. 

• Candidate attorneys. 

• Law Students. 

• Paralegals. 

Price 

• R 400.00 - Online admission - Individual.  

• Group Price 1 - From R337 per person (up to 5 users)   

• Group Price 2 - From R260 per person (up to 10 users)   

• Group Price 3 - From R224 per person (over 11 users)  

Steps to register for the event:  

If you already have a profile, login and register for the webinar. 

If you don’t have a profile, create a free profile then login and register for the webinar. 

Click here  to create a free profile (There is no charge to create a profile and gain access to our free Monthly Practice Management Series). 

Click here  to find out about the Technical Resource Centre & CPD Subscription options. 

Additional material 

By attending this webinar you will be provided with: 

• A summarised slide presentation. 

• Reference documents and/ or course material where available. 

• You can ask questions during the webinar and you will also have access to the presenter after the webinar. 

About SA Legal Academy 

Welcome to SA Legal Academy (SALA), a provider of courses to help you succeed in your chosen career. We are committed to providing our students with the highest quality training and support, to ensure that your skills and knowledge are up to date and ready to face the challenges of the modern workplace. Our courses are designed to ensure that you reach your professional goals and enhance your career prospects. With our experienced training staff and comprehensive resources, you can be confident that you will receive the highest quality of training from SA Legal Academy. 

SALA is a Level 2 B-BBEE contributor, with 125% procurement recognition. Training spend on certain solutions can be allocated against the Skills Development element of the B-BBEE Scorecard through accredited and nonaccredited training or claimed through SETA grants. In addition, 25% of your Skills Expenditure can be claimed on non-accredited training or courses. 

Corporate Training Solutions 

At SALA, we recognize the evolving needs of businesses in today's dynamic environment. Beyond our standard webinar offerings, we provide tailored corporate training solutions designed to empower your team with the latest in legal and professional skills. Whether you're looking for online sessions or face-to-face training, our programs are crafted to ensure a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. 

Drawing inspiration from modern training methodologies, our corporate solutions are interactive, adaptable, and focused on real-world applications. We prioritize hands-on learning, ensuring your team can immediately apply their newfound knowledge in practical scenarios. 

Interested in a bespoke corporate training experience? Reach out to us at [email protected] or call 012 941 0448. Together, let's design a training program that elevates your team's capabilities and aligns with your organizational goals. 

Contact Us For More Information 

Have any questions or need any assistance? Contact us today!  

• Online chat through our website.  

• Phone: +27 (0) 12 941 0448  

• E-mail: [email protected]