CUHK LAW’s Centre for Legal Innovation and Digital Society (CLINDS) invite scholars, policymakers, and experts from law as well as other relevant fields to submit abstracts for the upcoming conference on “Legal Responses to the Existential Threat Posed by Artificial Intelligence” to be held at The Chinese University of Hong Kong on 26-27 Sept 2025 in Hong Kong.

The conference will explore legal responses to the potential existential threat posed by AI. While AI holds enormous promise, many experts in the field are warning that there is a non-trivial chance that its development poses an existential threat to humanity. The initial wave of concern that swept across the world in 2023-24 appears to have now abated, giving way to an all-out, accelerating race to develop AI. With the recent release of DeepSeek and Manus, this race is now increasingly being driven by geopolitical as well as commercial incentives. Yet the potential threat remains. Although there is no scientific consensus as to the exact probability of this threat, it is generally agreed that the existential risk is non-zero. To date, there has been no meaningful regulatory response to this threat. Existing regulatory initiatives merely focus on discrete AI-related risks such as consumer safety, cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy. In the absence of significant regulatory action to address the possible risk of human extinction by AI, and given the potential magnitude of the harm, the question arises: what is the role of law in addressing the potential threat posed by AI?

Submissions are welcome that address this question in whatever fashion. Abstracts and papers should be submitted by the specified date below. Limited funding is available to cover travelling expenses. Funding should be requested with abstract submission and will be awarded based on the merits of the proposed paper.

All participants are encouraged to submit their work and contribute to the vibrant scholarly exchange that will define this event and the edited book project that will be developed on its basis, further building upon Druzin, Boute, and Ramsden, “Confronting Catastrophic Risk: The International Obligation to Regulate Artificial Intelligence” Michigan Journal of International Law (2025).

Papers on the following topics, broadly defined, are within the conference scope:

• AI’s existential threat
• Public perception and awareness of AI risks
• Geopolitical dimensions to the problem
• International relations and the AI race
• The AI threat and international human rights law
• The AI threat under the precautionary approach
• International legal frameworks for AI governance
• Comparison with relevant international regimes (e.g. nuclear weapons, climate change)
• Assessment of regulatory initiatives in the EU (EU AI Act), US (federal and state level initiatives), China and others
• Soft law regulatory initiatives
• Comparative analysis of national AI regulations
• Feasibility of regulatory responses to AI loss of control (e.g. shutdown requirement)

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Abstract (max 350 words) submission: 30 April 2025
Notification of acceptance: 20 May 2025
Paper submission (6000 words): 15 August 2025
Registration deadline for accepted authors: 20 August 2025

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE:
Please submit your abstract using the submission link here. The file with your submission should state the proposed paper title and the abstract.

CONFERENCE ORGANISING COMMITTEE:
Bryan Druzin, Jyh-An Lee, Anatole Boute, Michael Ramsden