Steve Jobs often remarked that ‘creativity is just connecting things.’ This perspective underscores the belief that innovation thrives on interdisciplinary efforts. In the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI), this notion takes on a new dimension as AI has the potential to exponentially enhance collaboration across disciplines. However, for this potential to be fully realized, existing laws must evolve in tandem with technological advancements.
The Regulatory Lag
The concept of regulatory lag is not new. It refers to the challenge faced by legislation and regulation in keeping pace with rapid innovation. Typically, this lag occurs because the implications of new technologies are not fully understood until after they have been widely adopted. However, this is only part of the story. Technological advancements also exert pressure on more peripheral legal frameworks, necessitating adaptations that enable society to harness the full potential of these innovations.
A historical example of this is seen in the aftermath of the internet becoming mainstream. As digital communication and connectivity expanded, international trade and investment faced new barriers, such as tariffs and outdated partnership requirements, which needed to be addressed to facilitate global economic growth.
Neoliberal Reforms
During the internet boom of the 1990s, much attention was given to laws directly related to the internet—data privacy, digital speech, and cybersecurity. However, significant legal changes were also required in unrelated areas. For instance, cross-border trade and investment rules had to evolve to allow global e-commerce, remote work, and digital entrepreneurship to flourish. These indirect legal constraints were initially overlooked but proved essential in unleashing the internet’s full power.
Artificial Intelligence and Indirect Barriers
A similar narrative is unfolding with AI. While discussions around AI and law often focus on algorithmic accountability and data privacy, AI’s potential to reduce barriers between disciplines offers a larger societal return. AI’s ability to synthesize, translate, and apply knowledge across fields enhances the viability of interdisciplinary work. Collaborations are emerging between law and computer science, medicine and machine learning, environmental modeling, and language processing.
AI is a general-purpose technology that rewards those who can integrate insights from various disciplines. This blurring of boundaries presents new legal challenges. In many professions, existing regulations create obstacles to entry and hinder the development of new interdisciplinary practices. Although these regulations aim to protect public interests, they can also stifle innovation.
To fully realize AI-enabled collaboration, many of these legal barriers need to be reconsidered or removed. Positive developments are underway, such as some states granting nurse practitioners and physician assistants greater autonomy in clinical decision-making, fostering collaboration between healthcare and AI diagnostics.
The Path Forward
While these changes represent progress, other fields remain entrenched in professional silos. To leverage AI in tackling complex, interdependent problems, these silos must be dismantled. Legislators and regulators must not only focus on immediate technological changes but also on the underlying legal frameworks that can either hinder or promote interdisciplinary innovation.
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Note: This article is inspired by content from https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertginsburg/2025/06/05/artificial-intelligence-collaboration-and-indirect-regulatory-lag/. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.