Freedom to Think: European and American Perspectives on AI and Sensitive Data

Thursday and Friday, November 5 & 6, 2026

12:00 AM-12:00 AM

This two-day international symposium is presented jointly by the University of Rennes, the University of Milan-Bicocca and the Drexel Kline School of Law’s’ Center for Law and Transformational Technology. It will bring together academics, legal practitioners, regulators, and technology experts to explore the eroding boundaries between human cognition and algorithmic intervention. As technology, and artificial intelligence in particular, becomes increasingly integrated into the fabric of daily life, our "freedom to think" faces unprecedented challenges from neurotechnological interventions and the pervasive collection of sensitive personal information. Experts from a range of disciplines will dissect the impact of technology on society and on individual rights and consider whether current legal and regulatory frameworks are up to the task of protecting the sanctity of the human mind.

Symposium sessions will explore the nature of new neurotechnologies, current laws that oversee them, and the need for new regulatory approaches. The focus will be on comparing legal and social responses in the European Union and the United States, as "sensitive data" has evolved beyond traditional medical records to include biometrics and neural signals. Through this international multi-disciplinary lens, the conference will seek to bridge the gap between innovation and protection, fostering a dialogue that moves beyond mere compliance toward a future where technological progress reinforces, rather than undermines, individual autonomy and cognitive liberty.

CLE Credits

• Thursday, November 5: 1 Ethics CLE credit, 1.5 Substantive Credits
• Friday, November 6: 5.5 Substantive credits

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