Lecture Series on Law, Technology & Society

Information

Date: 30 September 2026

Time: 12:30-14:00 

Venue: Seminar Room 14, 2nd floor, Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1

Lunch Bytes is a lecture series on current challenges at the intersection of law, technology and society. It addresses the question of how states react to technological innovations and which legal, political and institutional governance mechanisms they use. The focus is on new forms of technological regulation – for example in the fields of AI, robotics, biotechnology, quantum technology and digital infrastructure. The goal is to generate international and interdisciplinary impulses for academic debate and to show the societal relevance of legal perspectives on innovation.

Recap

Register here until 24.09.2026.

Lecture Speaker: Catherine Régis (UdeM Faculty of Law)

Topic: Legal and Ethical Challenges of AI Therapists and Companions 

This lecture is organised by Iris Eisenberger and Karl Stöger in cooperation with the ÖFG.

Speaker

Catherine Régis is Professor of Law at Université de Montréal and holder of a Canada CIFAR AI Chair and an International Chair on Science Diplomacy and the Global Governance of AI (FRQ). She is also an Associate Academic Member at Mila – Quebec AI Institute, Co-director of the Canadian AI Safety Institute research program (CIFAR), Director of Social Innovation and International Policy at IVADO (leading Canadian consortium dedicated to research, training, and knowledge mobilization in AI) as well as an Intellectual Forum Senior Research Associate at Jesus College (University of Cambridge).

Her work focuses on the integration of human rights into the development of AI systems at both the national and international levels, as well as on the regulation of digital innovation and AI in healthcare systems. She is also interested in the responsible governance of AI and the role of science diplomacy in shaping public policy, international cooperation, democratic processes, and sustainable development. Active on the international scene, she has contributed to several multilateral initiatives, notably as cochair of the Working Group on Responsible AI of the Global Partnership on AI, and collaborates with organizations such as the OECD, UNESCO, and the World Health Organization. 

Format

The series takes place during lunchtime. In a relaxed setting, participants only need to bring their curiosity. Rather than the traditional lecture hall atmosphere, the format creates space for dialogue across disciplines. The presentations are concise, the language used is comprehensible and discussions are open. Each session lasts around 90 minutes and includes snacks, making the exchange not only intellectually but also physically nourishing. The events are free of charge and open to anyone interested in digital innovations and their governance.