Digital Media & Technology

As digital technologies rapidly develop, they tend to outgrow regulatory frameworks imposed by media law, intellectual property law and commercial law. For example, the recent emergence into the mainstream of generative artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, Copilot and Midjourney challenge the limits of copyright law, raising issues as to whether training AI systems on publicly available code, text and images, can amount to an infringment of copyright.

Before becoming a lawyer, Dr Hughes studied computer systems engineering, and worked for over 20 years as a programmer. He then put his experience to use in his PhD thesis on the patentability of software.

Dr Hughes’ deep understanding of technology sets him apart from many lawyers, and allows him to better assist clients whose businesses depend on understanding the limitations and opportunities which lie at the intersection of law and technology.

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Dr Hughes is currently briefed to provide intellectual property and technology law advice to Epic Games, the creators of Fortnite, in the competition law case of Epic Games v Apple, Inc, which is currently before the Federal Court.