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AI washing in the workplace: when “AI made us do it” is not enough
Artificial intelligence is increasingly invoked as the explanation behind organisational changes, productivity shifts, or even workforce reductions. In many cases this reflects a genuine technological transformation. In others, however, AI risks becoming a convenient narrative rather than an accurate description of what actually occurs within a business. The numbers are instructive. According to a report published by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, of the 1.2 million job cuts announced by US companies in 2025, AI was cited in approximately 55,000 of them. When workforce decisions are already subject to scrutiny, explanations that do not hold up to legal or factual examination may create additional risks for employers.
Europe recalibrates: AI copyright and GDPR scope under pressure
Two parallel developments suggest that Europe is drawing clearer boundaries around both AI ownership and data protection. One comes from the Council and the other from a German court, and both signal a more cautious approach toward redefining legal fundamentals in the name of innovation or administrative simplification. 1. Digital omnibus leak: Member States cut the core of the proposed GDPR reform A leaked Council compromise draft removes entirely the proposed redefinition of “personal data” under the GDPR, and that alone underscores how controversial the Digital Omnibus has become. What happened? In November 2025, the European Commission launched the Digital Omnibus, with one of its central ambitions
Europe’s AI rulebook is taking shape, but the technology is not waiting
Artificial intelligence is entering a decisive phase in Europe. Despite the EU’s ambitious AI Act framework, key guidance remains pending while enforcement scrutiny intensifies and AI adoption accelerates. 1. EU AI Act: a strict framework struggling to keep pace While Europe’s ambition to regulate AI is unquestioned, recent developments signal that the legal framework is struggling to keep pace with both the rapid evolution of the technology and its own aspirations. 1.1. Missed Guidance and Growing Uncertainty The European Commission missed a key deadline on 2 February, when it failed to publish a comprehensive list of use cases to help businesses distinguish between high-risk and non-high-risk
AI automation: The buzzword behind the layoff waive?
Layoffs have reached historic highs this year, and the AI arms race could be partly to blame. In the United States, over one million jobs were cut between January and October, up 65% from the same period in 2024, according to a report by outplacement specialists Challenger, Gray & Christmas. From Amazon and UPS to Microsoft and Meta, a growing number of companies are restructuring their workforce as they adopt AI at scale. These decisions raise a broader question: how far and how fast can companies go when replacing human work with artificial intelligence? While automation at scale is not a one-size-fits-all solution, the hard truth is that the skills and jobs needed in the future of work are still largely unknown. As
New pressure, new delays: the EU’s double move on AI
Europe has just introduced two significant developments that will directly affect how companies build, deploy, and oversee AI in 2026. One strengthens reporting. The other reshapes key compliance deadlines. 1. The AI act whistleblower tool is live—and it changes the game The EU’s new AI Act Whistleblower Tool is officially online, allowing any individual professionally connected to an AI model provider to flag risky or unlawful practices linked to general-purpose AI models and certain regulated AI systems. Reports can be submitted anonymously, in any EU language together with supporting documents via a secure inbox that also supports follow-up questions. While the AI Office will maintain strict
GDPR x AI: When privacy meets machine intelligence
As Europe moves ahead with the AI Act, the European Commission has made clear that there will be “no stop the clock, no grace period, and no pause”, despite calls from major tech players such as Google, Meta, Mistral, and ASML to delay implementation. The timeline remains firm: core provisions apply from February 2025, general-purpose model rules from August 2025, and high-risk AI obligations from August 2026. The message is clear: the Commission intends to keep its ambitious AI timeline on track, while it looks to streamline other digital obligations for companies. Against this backdrop, the GDPR may also be entering a new chapter. Nearly seven years after its adoption, a leaked draft of the Digital Omnibus package
AI awareness: Safeguarding your brand in an era of AI-generated content
The way we consume information is changing at an incredible pace, and we wanted to share a quick insight into a shift that may have real implications for your business. Recently, several clients have reached out to us with concerns about articles that are evidently AI-generated, potentially damaging their brand image and reputation. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated issue, but it is part of a larger shift in the digital landscape. For the first time, more than half of all the visual and text-based content on the internet is now AI-generated. This means that the data your company relies on and the data it feeds into AI carries significant risks, demanding proactive strategies to remain compliant. What
Brace for AI impact: From hype to risk – is your company ready?
In 2022, we were writing about the promising but at the time still hypothetical impact of generative AI on HR—from recruitment and performance reviews to promotion decisions—as well as the potential implication of the then-proposed EU AI Regulation (AI Act). Today, generative AI is no longer a future ambition. Multinational companies are rapidly deploying AI tools into daily business operations: from content creation and data analytics to automated decision-making. What was once a speculative legal concern has become a tangible compliance challenge, with the AI Act published in 2024 and its full application expected by August 2026. As we move towards 2026, the real question is not whether to use AI, but whether
Guidance notes on the new General Register of Employee Records in Romania
Starting 1 October 2025, the use of the REGES-Online platform will become mandatory for all employers in Romania. This obligation is provided for in Government Decision No. 295/2025, which establishes a transition period until 30 September 2025, during which employers can choose to use either REGES-Online or the old Revisal system. The new digital portal will ensure the electronic management of individual employment contracts by employers and authorised service providers through a digital platform managed by the Labour Inspectorate. As the transition process involves creating accounts, accessing registers, and filling in the necessary data, we recommend that employers implement the new system as soon as possible.
Cyberbullying: How can employers in Romania address inappropriate behaviour in hybrid or remote work environments?
In a world where the boundaries between the physical and virtual office are increasingly blurred, employers are facing a new and complex challenge: cyberbullying. From passive-aggressive messages in a team chat to an inappropriate joke on an internal platform, subtle forms of harassment can have serious consequences for employees’ emotional well-being and the overall organisational climate. So how can employers manage and prevent such situations in order to protect both their employees and the company’s reputation? A new type of challenge: What Is cyberbullying? Cyberbullying refers to any form of aggressive, intimidating, or abusive behaviour carried out through digital technologies such as emails, instant
New obligations for employers in Romania: Fair wages and enhanced prevention and management of workplace discrimination and harassment
In recent years, we have seen several new obligations imposed on employers in Romania, and 2025 will be no different. Starting from January 2025, certain amendments to Romanian labour legislation entered into force, impacting employers significantly. In a nutshell, the new amendments aim to: ensure adequate minimum wages; introduce stricter rules for employers on handling workplace harassment cases; introduce new requirements to ensure gender balance in the management of companies traded on a regulated market; and adopt new measures to protect people with disabilities. Details of the new legal obligations of employers are outlined below. I. Ensuring adequate minimum
The rise and fall of DEI: What employers need to know
DEI has become a societal megatrend that demands attention. While many companies made DEI initiatives a part of their business strategies, others are scaling back their efforts citing shifting priorities, economic pressures or even political and social pushback. The enthusiasm that once fueled widespread DEI adoption is now met with increased scrutiny. Some question the return on investment and the effectiveness of these programs, whole high-profile layoffs in DEI teams and budget reductions signal that the once unstoppable momentum of DEI may be encountering resistance. Yet, stepping back from DEI is not without risks. In Romania, companies deprioritizing DEI may face not only reputational damage, but also legal and employee