Umjetna inteligencija i pravo EU: Regulatorni štit ili kočnica napretka?
- Date
- 2026-04-09
- Location
- Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija, Croatia
- Host
- CroAI Events
About this event
AI is moving faster than most legal systems can comfortably absorb, and the European Union has chosen to respond with one of the world’s most ambitious regulatory approaches. That raises a real question for anyone building, advising on, investing in, or simply trying to understand AI: does regulation create the trust needed for progress, or does it slow innovation at the moment it matters most? This meetup in Split opens that debate in a practical, grounded way. Rather than treating AI law as a distant policy topic, the event focuses on what EU rules mean in real life for people working at the intersection of technology, business, and public interest. About the Event This is an in-person discussion and networking meetup centered on the relationship between artificial intelligence and EU law. The title itself sets the tone: Regulatorni štit ili kočnica napretka? The goal is not to force a simple answer, but to examine where regulation protects users, markets, and rights, and where it may create friction for experimentation, product development, and adoption. You can expect a conversation that is relevant whether you come from a legal, technical, entrepreneurial, academic, or policy background. AI regulation is no longer a niche subject. It affects how systems are designed, documented, tested, marketed, and deployed. It also shapes who carries responsibility when things go wrong. Because this is a meetup format, the event is well suited to exchange, debate, and perspective-sharing. That means the value is not only in the topic itself, but in the room: people bringing different assumptions, concerns, and professional realities to the same question. What to Expect The event will focus on the core tension behind AI regulation in Europe: how to encourage innovation without weakening legal certainty, accountability, and protection of fundamental rights. Expect discussion around the broader legal and practical implications of the EU approach, especially for people and organizations trying to act early rather than react late. Likely themes of conversation include: how EU regulation changes the development and use of AI tools where compliance becomes a competitive advantage where legal obligations may feel heavy for startups, small teams, or fast-moving projects the difference between responsible governance and unnecessary bureaucracy how regulation influences trust among users, clients, institutions, and the public As an in-person meetup, there is also a strong community and networking dimension. You should expect space for direct conversation before, during, or after the main discussion. If you have a concrete question, a skeptical view, or a case from your own work, this is the kind of setting where those examples can sharpen the conversation. The tone is intended to be serious but accessible. You do not need to arrive with all the answers. What matters more is a willingness to engage with a topic that increasingly affects product strategy, legal risk, public legitimacy, and everyday decision-making. Why Attend If you work anywhere near AI, this topic is already part of your professional environment, whether you actively follow it or not. EU rules are shaping expectations around transparency, risk, accountability, and acceptable use. Understanding that landscape early can help you make better decisions and avoid treating regulation as a last-minute obstacle. This event is especially valuable because it brings together law and practice. Too often, AI conversations split into separate tracks: technical people discuss capability, legal people discuss compliance, and everyone else is left trying to connect the two. Here, the point is to keep those dimensions in the same frame. You should attend if you want to: understand the practical significance of EU AI regulation beyond headlines think more clearly about the trade-off between innovation and oversight hear how others interpret the risks and opportunities of the current regulatory direction build connections with people in Split who care about technology, law, and responsible progress leave with sharper questions, not just broader awareness There is also real value in discussing this topic in person, in a local setting. Policy debates can feel abstract when they happen only online or at a distance. A meetup creates room for nuance, disagreement, and practical exchange that is often missing from fast, polarized takes on AI. Practical Details Location: in person in Split, Croatia. This is a physical gathering, which makes it ideal for conversation, informal introductions, and post-discussion networking. Date and time: Thursday, April 9 at 2:00 PM GMT+2. An afternoon time slot makes this accessible for professionals, students, founders, researchers, and anyone able to step into a focused mid-day discussion. The event is tagged across community, networking, meetup, and social, which signals that this is not just a one-way information session. Expect a format that supports both learning and meeting others with overlapping interests. If this question sits anywhere near your work or curiosity, come ready to listen, challenge assumptions, and talk with people who are also trying to understand what responsible AI progress should look like in Europe. The most useful outcome may not be a definitive verdict, but a more informed view of what comes next.
Who should attend
This is for you if AI regulation feels relevant to your work, your studies, or the questions you keep running into as technology moves faster than the rules around it. - You work in **law, compliance, policy, or regulation** and want to better understand how AI is changing the scope and urgency of your field. - You are a **founder, builder, product manager, or startup operator** trying to figure out whether EU rules are a constraint, a roadmap, or both. - You are a **developer, data professional, or technical lead** who wants more context on how legal expectations may affect design, deployment, documentation, and risk decisions. - You are a **student or researcher** in law, technology, business, or public policy and want to hear how this debate plays out beyond theory. - You care about **responsible innovation** and want a space where people can seriously discuss both the benefits and the costs of regulation. - You simply want to meet **thoughtful people in Split** interested in AI, public policy, and the future direction of Europe’s technology landscape.