2021 Annual Virtual Meeting and Training Symposium

Europe has big plans for Artificial Intelligence, and is the first major region to move forward with broad ranging proposals for the regulation of AI. It has set itself the challenge of creating an ecosystem of excellence and trust to enable the development and use of AI to flourish whilst ensuring that adequate safeguards are in place to minimise and eliminate any perceived risks.
In this session, you will hear from experts in the field of AI talking about the latest policy developments in Europe, and what it may mean for consumer product safety. They’ll discuss where it may lead and consider the practical implications for companies in the international context.  Our moderator will host a fireside chat with the panellists, as they share their insights on, amongst other things:

• the practical challenges of AI and emerging technologies that have led Europe down the path of regulation
• the industry perspective on the regulation of AI in the context of consumer safety
• the recent legislative proposals of the European Parliament on the regulation of AI, in particular the ethical framework, distinct category of “high-risk” AI, and strict liability proposals
• an update on the status of the European Commission’s legislative programme
• the international context of the European moves, including analysis of the opportunities and pitfalls moving forward

It will be an interactive session which will gather insights from the panel and audience on how to move forward on this challenging aspect of new technology.

As the world rapidly evolves to more isolated and self-distancing from city centers, offices, and other places, this has really had an impact on those in society who live alone. Those who live alone as well as aging in place may have limited social groups finding themselves seeking new ways to connect with society at large. This includes such technologies as Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality equipment as well as Consumer and Service Robots. This talk will be led by Underwriters Laboratories to provide further insights in the emerging trends, the benefits they bring and the risk profile they introduce.

Artificial intelligence (AI) touches every industry and machine learning, a subset of AI, is being incorporated into business processes to help streamline and improve the ability to see patterns and be agile. In manufacturing, machine learning has practical applications in assisting product designers in identifying risks to safety early in the design process and make the necessary corrections. In testing, inspection and certification (TIC), machine learning can help identify safety trends, applicable safety requirements, and streamline the testing, inspection, and certification process.

In this interactive discussion, panellists will discuss their use of machine learning to support the design and ensure the safety of products and we will explore the risks and benefits of using machine learning and artificial intelligence to ensure safer products.

In many countries, cannabis-derived products have the potential to reach large numbers of consumers.  These products include cannabidiol (CBD)-based products sold in a wide range of forms (e.g., textiles, personal care products, pet products, supplements and foods) as well as newer products touting other cannabinoids (e.g., cannabigerol).  The pace at which such products have reached the market (with or without regulatory approval) varies by country, with some jurisdictions  (e.g., Canada, the Netherlands, some US states) out in front and others (e.g., the UK) well behind.  At times, the cannabis product market can seem like a free-for-all, with some products making questionable claims, lawsuits for false labeling on content and claims and an uncertain regulatory landscape.   Standards that can be used to ensure the safety of cannabis products  are in many cases still under development.  Moreover, how such products will be used (or mis-used) is still uncertain.  In this session, we’ll survey the current legal status of the various cannabis-derived products in different jurisdictions, summarize what the science says about potential health claims and adverse effects of CBD and related chemicals, and discuss steps manufacturers and retailers can take to protect consumers. The potential for regulatory movement in the US (particularly for CBD products) will also be discussed in light of the incoming US administration.  The session will consist of brief (10-15 minute remarks) with ample time for Q&A. One initial polling question during the first few minutes of the session will ask audience members to list the top 3 concerns about cannabis products; the speakers will use this to guide their presentations and subsequent discussions. Additional polling questions may be used during the rest of the session as appropriate.