Module manager: Igor Szpotakowski
Email: i.m.szpotakowski@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as an Elective
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping societies, economies, and legal systems worldwide. AI technologies promise increased efficiency, innovation, and economic growth. At the same time, they raise significant legal, ethical, and social risks, including potential harm to individuals, markets, judicial and political systems, and fundamental rights. This module introduces students to the legal and regulatory challenges posed by AI and equips them with the tools needed to understand, evaluate, and comparatively analyse both pre- and post-market regulatory strategies. The module also examines whether AI presents genuinely novel regulatory challenges or whether existing legal frameworks can be adapted to address them. By the end of the module, students will have a broad understanding of AI law and regulation at national, regional, and global levels. They will be able to apply comparative legal analysis to AI-driven contexts and critically assess competing regulatory solutions across the globe. No prior background knowledge in law is required, as the module is designed to be accessible to students from diverse academic backgrounds.
The main objective of this module is to provide students with a broad and critical understanding of the legal and regulatory dimensions of artificial intelligence and to develop their ability to analyse and apply legal and regulatory frameworks using a comparative perspective. The module aims to enable students to understand how law and regulation respond to technological change and how different regulatory models address emerging risks and opportunities.
The module is designed to develop students’ analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving skills through structured learning activities that encourage critical engagement with legal materials, regulatory approaches, and policy debates. Emphasis is placed on comparative analysis, enabling students to assess similarities and differences across regulatory systems and to evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of alternative legal responses.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Critically reflect on and compare major regulatory models of AI law and regulation across different jurisdictions;
2. Critically evaluate and synthesise evidence from existing research and scholarship on AI regulation, integrating theoretical perspectives with practical regulatory approaches in specialist contexts;
3. Identify and critically assess how AI-related risks may be mitigated through legal and regulatory mechanisms in ways that protect society while supporting innovation;
4. Critically evaluate and balance different arguments and perspectives, drawing on appropriate supporting evidence to develop well-reasoned opinions, arguments, theories, and ideas. (Academic, Work Ready and Sustainability skill);
5. Communicate key facts, concepts, and theoretical perspectives clearly and effectively in written form. (Academic, Work Ready and Sustainability skill);
6. Locate, evaluate, and use appropriate and relevant information sources to enhance the quality and rigour of academic work and research. (Academic, Work Ready, Enterprise and Sustainability skill);
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Seminar | 9 | 2 | 18 |
| Private study hours | 130 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
130
Formative Assessment: A 500-word essay plan, to be submitted via Minerva, provides an opportunity for students to outline their approach to essay question. This initial step allows students to receive constructive feedback on their chosen topic, structure, and arguments, helping refine their ideas before commencing the full essay. While this component is non-graded, it is essential for guiding students toward a successful summative submission.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Coursework | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team