AI washing describes the practice of presenting a product, service or business process as using artificial intelligence, or as more sophisticated than it is, in a way that may mislead regulators, investors, customers or other stakeholders. It is a descriptive expression rather than a defined legal term in UK or Irish legislation or case law, but is increasingly used in regulatory, commercial, financial services and technology law contexts across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.In legal practice, AI washing commonly arises in relation to misleading advertising, consumer protection, unfair commercial practices, investor disclosures, prospectuses, due diligence, competition law and regulatory reporting (including to financial and data protection regulators). It may involve overstating AI capabilities, implying use of “generative AI” where tools are rules-based, or suggesting higher levels of automation, accuracy or safety than can be substantiated.AI washing can give rise to civil, regulatory and, in some circumstances, criminal liability under existing misrepresentation, fraud, market abuse and consumer protection regimes. Legal advisers should scrutinise AI-related claims, disclaimers and technical documentation and ensure they are accurate, verifiable and consistent with actual system design and deployment.