Inspired by scenario writing methods to foster discussion on the societal implications of technology and regulation, the paper develops a ‘legal fiction scenario’ to anticipate the impact of the proposed European AI Act and examine some of the regulatory choices made. The paper tells the story of FutureNewsCorp – the largest news media company in Europe in the year 2043. The story of FutureNewsCorp is used for a critical analysis of the most recent draft of the AI Act and here, in particular, of the role of standardisation bodies and the division of responsibility between providers of AI systems and their professional users. Using the scenario method, the paper demonstrates that regulations like the planned AI Act can result in a shift of the power to decide what responsible use of AI is - from regulators and editors to technology developers and standardisation bodies - and that in doing so it may contribute to changing the structure and workings of an entire sector.
