The AI Arena - Skate to The Puck: A Lewis Brisbois Podcast

The rapid rise of AI in our society has led to questions about the Federal and State governments’ role in providing legislation to get ahead of pressing issues affecting Americans regarding safety, job loss, and environmental impact. In Episode 15 of The AI Arena, our host Sean leads a timely conversation with The Alliance for Secure AI’s Policy Director Riki Parikh and Communications Director Peyton Hornberger about the pressing need to understand what is rising from the grassroots level on AI-related concerns when trying to implement government regulation. The Alliance is a nonprofit organization that educates the public about the implications of advanced AI, and works to build bipartisan support for enforceable safeguards that make sure the technology progresses in a safe and secure manner. Riki and Peyton discuss the Trump Administration’s recent release of a National AI Legislative Framework which attempts to address the most pressing policy topics that AI presents, such as protecting children, strengthening communities, respecting IP rights, preventing censorship, and developing an AI-ready workforce. Skate to the puck alongside Riki and Peyton, as they provide our listeners with key insights on how data centers being built rapidly have been impacting electricity bills, and the daunting prospect college graduates today are facing when entering the workforce. Visit secureainow.org to access the educational resources that The Alliance is working on and contribute your own thoughts on responsible AI usage and development.

The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI recently announced a groundbreaking partnership that promises to redefine the future of digital storytelling. In our newest episode of The AI Arena, our host Sean is joined by National Co-Chair of Lewis Brisbois’ Entertainment, Media & Sports practice Steven Beer, who breaks down this new three-year agreement by Disney to become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, OpenAI’s short-form generative video platform. Sean and Steven discuss how this deal will allow fans to generate and share AI-powered social videos and images featuring more than 200 iconic characters from Disney’s worlds, including Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. In light of Tilly Norwood gaining notoriety for becoming an AI-generated actress for hire, Steven also discusses what this technological trend signifies for creativity, fandom, and the evolving relationship between Hollywood and AI. This is a can’t-miss episode for content creators and those invested in a shared commitment to responsible, human-centered artificial intelligence that protects creators’ rights and user safety.

The threat of bad actors spreading disinformation online has been prevalent for the last decade, and the problem has become exacerbated by AI-generated fake content deliberately created to confuse and mislead. In Episode 13 of The AI Arena, our host Sean leads an exciting conversation with Chris Ribeiro, Managing Director, Head of the New York Office & Co-Lead for Physical Security & Threat Mitigation at Nardello & Co—a global investigations firm that handles matters including civil and white collar criminal litigation and arbitration support, due diligence, anti-corruption & fraud investigations, asset tracing, activist defense, strategic intelligence and political risk assessment, computer forensics, monitorships, and compliance. Chris is a former CIA officer, with over two decades of experience conducting sophisticated fact-finding and intelligence-collection investigations for government agencies, law firms, and corporate clients. He provides our listeners with key insights on the arms race between those using AI to create harmful content to commit fraud and those looking to combat them, the importance of keeping the human in the loop to fact-check AI processes, and the future of corporate investigations as the technology continues to become more sophisticated. This is a can’t-miss episode for anyone interested in incorporating artificial intelligence tools in their daily work, heads of organizations seeking guidance on risk management, and those who want to stay vigilant online while reading the news and conducting research.  

A fascinating legal case which captured the attention of the AI world in 2025, Bartz v. Anthropic sought to clarify the question of whether usage of copyrighted books to train AI models is protected by the “fair use” doctrine. In Episode 12 of The AI Arena, our host Sean interviews Robert Brauneis, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Intellectual Property Program at George Washington University Law School. Professor Bruneis highlights key facets of Bartz v. Anthropic and Kadrey v. Meta Platforms, Inc., where both judges ruled in favor of AI developers, but with caveats that have since resulted in a potential settlement* and  further questions regarding what is exactly considered “transformative” when it pertains to AI training. Sean skates to the puck alongside Professor Bruneis, who breaks down the four factors of fair use in the US, and offers his opinion on the rulings from both cases. This is a can’t-miss discussion for copyright and patent attorneys working with AI developers, law students interested in this rapidly evolving sector of the profession, and organizations seeking clarity on the usage of the technology in their day-to-day operations.  *Note: This episode was recorded before public disclosure of a potential $1.5 billion settlement by Anthropic to book authors.

As cybercriminals become more sophisticated in their methods to attack banks and other financial institutes, there is a critical need for organizations of all sizes to stay one step ahead. In Episode 11 of The AI Arena, our host Sean leads an exciting conversation with Arseny Barkovskiy, Head of Cyber & Field Operations at Vantage Intelligence, an intelligence and strategic advisory firm that provides creative solutions for decision-makers in the public and private sectors. A former member of the Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch who was deployed to Afghanistan twice, Arseny has extensive experience conducting investigations and surveillance to support complex cross-border asset tracing. Skate to the puck alongside Sean and Arseny, as they discuss the role of Agentic AI in reducing the amount of human time and effort in analyzing data, the importance of keeping the human-in-the-loop, and the potential for the technology to be utilized more proactively to prevent future financial crimes.  

Artificial intelligence continues to make rapid inroads into the heavily regulated Life Sciences industry, as many C-suite executives have embraced the technology to improve operational efficiency. In Episode 10 of The AI Arena, our host Sean skates to the puck alongside Manny Tzavlakis, Founder and Managing Partner at HELIO, a consulting firm which works with Life Sciences organizations that use generative AI to optimize their compliance, commercial, medical, and patient services. Manny offers our listeners key insights on how his clients are using AI for communications monitoring and policy management, two critical facets of pharmaceutical and medical device companies that need to be handled with care. Don’t miss this timely follow-up Life-Sciences episode to Sean’s conversation with Frank Traina, who highlighted how AI can mitigate increasing compliance costs and increase the speed of regulatory submissions in the industry.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of data privacy and security, it can be a challenge for organizations to stay ahead of bad actors who look for potential vulnerabilities. Artificial intelligence tools can help alleviate some of these concerns, but also pose a risk, since these same tools can be used for malicious purposes. In Episode 9 of The AI Arena, our host Sean welcomes Yasir Ali to the show, Founder & CEO of Polymer, a full lifecycle data management platform for SaaS and AI. Polymer monitors and controls the flow of sensitive data, with the goal of minimizing risk and preventing exposures. Yasir offers our listeners key insights on what employers can do to bolster their enterprise software defense, the human element in data privacy, and the need for collaboration between compliance and legal professionals for a more holistic approach to security. This is a can’t-miss episode for data privacy & cybersecurity professionals, C-suite executives of companies responsible for information security, and attorneys advising clients on best practices to avoid data breaches.

As AI applications continue to integrate themselves into our everyday lives, there is a big question mark on how the Trump administration will affect the development and usage of the technology. In Episode 8 of The AI Arena, our host Sean is joined by Co-Chair of Lewis Brisbois’ Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice Rosario Palmieri, as they lead an exciting and timely conversation with Satya Thallam, a senior advisor at the Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI), a nonprofit is dedicated to policy advocacy in the public interest. Satya brings a wealth of knowledge from his experience working as an economist and policy advisor for the US Senate, and a senior counselor for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during Trump’s first term. He offers our listeners key insights on the anticipated shift in attitudes in tackling bias in artificial intelligence by the federal government, legislative changes that will impact both adversarial nations and allies as the United States attempts to stay ahead of the competition, and overall regulation of the technology. Skate to the puck alongside Sean and Rosario, as they discuss the new administration’s focus on energy production, implementation of data centers and infrastructure to accelerate AI growth, and the allocation of billions of dollars by private American companies to compete with foreign entities.

As Generative AI continues to be incorporated by financial organizations of all sizes, the baking industry has felt a seismic shift in how risk management and regulatory compliance are managed. In Episode 7 of The AI Arena, our host Sean leads an exciting conversation about this digital transformation with Brian Jones, who was elected President of Merrick Bank earlier this year. Merrick Bank is an FDIC insured issuer of credit cards, recreation loans, and certificates of deposits, and seeks help its customers build personal and long-term financial stability through managing credit. Brian describes how the organization has been utilizing machine learning tools over the last decade, which can sort through potential credit applicants, generating risk and response scores, fraud detection, and finding prospects who consistently pay back loans. Skate to the puck alongside Sean and Brian, as they discuss how this technology will continue to improve and streamline banking practices across the glove. 

The life sciences industry has always operated on a behemoth of data points, which require meticulous collection, documentation and assessment. Leaders in the field are constantly striving to improve efficiency in organizing clinical trials, site quality inspections, patient recruitment, drug manufacturing, and marketing commercial retail medications. In Episode 6 of The AI Arena, our host Sean skates to the puck alongside Frank Traina, Managing Partner at a boutique consultancy which provides strategic guidance to organizations in big pharma, tier-1 hospital groups, and medical device companies. Frank highlights the importance of utilizing AI tools for life sciences applications, which can help mitigate increasing compliance costs and significantly increase the speed of regulatory submissions. This timely conversations offers our listeners with key insights on how major healthcare companies are instituting cutting-edge AI into their processes and what the future of the life sciences industry looks like.

With rapid advancements in AI, the energy sector is facing a critical power challenge as companies are investing billions of dollars into improving and scaling up this new technology. Generative AI, which functions through electricity-intensive computational processes, has created the need for these energy demands to be met in a reliable, affordable, and sustainable way. In our latest episode of The AI Arena, Sean and Daron lead a timely conversation with Sam Siegel, Vice President of Wholesale Strategy at Vistra Corp, a leading Fortune 500 integrated retail electricity and power generation company that is taking on the AI challenge head-on. Sam explains how Vistra’s diverse portfolio, which includes natural gas, coal, nuclear, solar, and battery energy storage facilities, will be greatly beneficial for the growth of the United States power grid as it keeps up with these ever-growing needs. This is a can’t-miss episode for those who want to skate to the puck alongside a leading expert in the energy field and a former attorney, who has stayed at the forefront of evolving government regulation and compliance.  

In Episode 4 of The AI Arena, Sean and Daron lead an exciting conversation with Sam Miller, Founder & CEO of Proteus Motion Inc. Used by renowned actors like Jake Gyllenhaal and decorated athletes such as Patrick Mahomes, Proteus is a pioneer in the field of 3D resistance training, and its AI platform is creating the most personalized training insights in the history of fitness.By using Proteus, athletes of all skill levels who are interested in improving their strength and endurance can approach their workouts in a targeted and efficient manner. Sam provides our listeners with key insights into how AI is rapidly impacting health and fitness spaces, and how it will continue to shape the future of what gyms will look and feel like around the globe. This is a can’t-miss episode for those who are interested learning more about AI’s integral role in improving medical outcomes and peak human performance across industries. 

In Episode 3, our co-hosts Sean and Daron welcome Nir Peled, Senior Director of AI Products & Business Development at Intel Corporation, to The AI Arena. With extensive experience in delivering high-value products across industries using AI and machine learning, Nir offers our listeners expert insights into the origins of artificial intelligence, and how Large Language Models (LLMs) are revolutionizing human language processing, computer vision, and speech recognition. Sean and Daron delve into potential biases that AI can bring with it as it continues to evolve and learn, utilizing data from the Internet and prior literature, and how this can negatively impact HR hiring practices, public misinformation regarding news events, and misuse of the tool for financial gain. This is a can’t-miss episode for those who are interested in implementing Generative AI tools at their workplace, and want to learn more about potential legal risks and liability involved with this rapidly evolving technology. Attorneys who are working with forward-facing clients trying to leverage AI in their business should make sure to tune in to hear Nir's thoughts on the implications of using AI in the legal domain, and pressing intellectual property concerns that it brings with it. 

In Episode 2 of The AI Arena, our co-hosts Sean and Daron are excited to welcome to the show Ashley Bennett Jones and Logan Payne, two senior executives at the world's largest privately held insurance brokerage firm - Lockton Companies. Ashley and Logan share key insights on how their clients and insurance carriers are responding to questions about obtaining coverage against AI-related liability. This timely conversation highlights what companies, including startups, can do to “skate to the puck” in order to be in the best possible position to get the appropriate AI-related insurance coverage.You can read Lockton's guidance to companies for more information about how organizations using AI should be cautious of the technology's potential along with its limitations and risks.

In the inaugural episode of The AI Arena—Skate to the Puck podcast, our co-hosts Sean and Daron welcome Mary Smigielski and Josh Kantrow, co-chairs of Lewis Brisbois’ pioneering BIPA (Biometric Information Privacy Act) practice and hosts of The BIPA Radar podcast. Mary and Josh draw parallels between regulation around biometric information and artificial intelligence, and how businesses of all sizes should be focused on looking forward to make sure they stay ahead of the incoming regulation around AI.  Sean and Daron also discuss the intersection between AI and various aspects of the law, including public policy, labor & employment,  intellectual property, and data privacy & cybersecurity. As AI continues to develop at a breathtaking rate, risk management is critical for businesses who want to start implementing this new technology into their operational, management, and human resources departments.  This is a can’t-miss episode for businesses, organizations and individuals who are asking questions about how AI will impact their day-to-day operations, and want  to “skate” ahead of incoming legal and regulatory issues.