Generative AI technology holds immense transformative potential, with applications spanning from text generation to image creation and scientific discovery. Yet, its rapid development and adoption have introduced significant legal and ethical concerns, such as potential cybersecurity risks, misinformation, unsustainability, and algorithmic discrimination. The Oxford Handbook of the Foundations and Regulation of Generative AI offers theoretical insights and practical recommendations for ensuring the responsible development and application of this emerging technology. Edited and written by leading scholars in law, AI ethics, economics, and computer science, this Handbook brings together a global team of experts to examine the foundational principles and regulatory challenges posed by generative AI systems. The Handbook introduces core technical concepts-including explainable AI (XAI), agentic AI safety, and prompting-and discusses pressing legal and ethical concerns such as AI bias, consumer protection, platform and worker rights, data protection, copyright, and liability for AI-generated speech. The volume also considers how generative AI is transforming industries, from business and legal practice to healthcare, finance, and cybersecurity. Finally, it concludes with in-depth analyses of AI regulation in various jurisdictions, including the EU, US, China, Brazil, India, and Australia. Interdisciplinary in scope and global in coverage, this Handbook is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand and navigate the evolving landscape of generative AI. It provides an accessible entry point for students, while offering the depth and rigor needed to inform practice, policy, and advanced research.
