AI is keeping GitHub chief legal officer Shelley McKinley busy | TechCrunch
GitHub's chief legal officer navigating legal challenges involving Copilot pair-programmer and EU AI regulations.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
GitHub’s chief legal officer, Shelley McKinley, is facing legal challenges over Copilot pair-programmer and the EU AI Act, recently approved by the European Parliament. The AI Act aims to regulate AI applications based on their risks, with GitHub expressing concerns about potential legal liabilities for open-source developers. McKinley, in her multidisciplinary role, oversees various legal aspects, including issues related to AI, environmental sustainability, and trust and safety. GitHub’s Copilot tool, developed with OpenAI, has sparked controversy for potentially appropriating open-source community work. McKinley emphasizes the importance of educating policymakers on AI-related matters and ensuring a balance between innovation and regulation. Amidst legal disputes over Copilot violating copyright laws, GitHub has introduced features like duplication detection to address developer concerns. Looking ahead, McKinley stresses the role of establishing harmonized standards for AI regulations and voices support for a risk-based approach in both the EU and U.S. perspectives on AI governance.