Legal Aspects of Autonomous Systems

As computational power, the volume of available data, IT systems’ autonomy, and the human-like capabilities of machines increase, robots and AI systems have substantial and growing implications for the law and raise a host of challenges to current legal doctrines. The main question to be answered is whether the foundations and general principles of private law and criminal law offer a functional and adaptive legal framework for the “autonomous systems” phenomena.

The main purpose of this book is to identify and explore possible trajectories for the development of civil and criminal liability; for our understanding of the attribution link to autonomous systems; and, in particular, for the punishment of unlawful conduct in connection with their operation. AI decision-making processes – including judicial sentencing – also warrant close attention in this regard.

Since AI is moving faster than the process of regulatory recalibration, this book provides valuable insights on its redesign and on the harmonization, at the European level, of the current regulatory frameworks, in order to keep pace with technological changes.

Providing a broader and more comprehensive picture of the legal challenges posed by autonomous systems, this book covers a wide range of topics, including the regulation of autonomous vehicles, data protection and governance, personality rights, intellectual property, corporate governance, and contract conclusion and termination issues arising from automated decisions, blockchain technology and AI applications, particularly in the banking and finance sectors.

The authors are legal experts from around the world with extensive academic and/or practical experience in these areas.

Dário Moura Vicente was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1962. He is a Full Professor (Catedrático) at the University of Lisbon School of Law, where he has obtained his PhD in Law and has taught, since 1987, Civil Law, Comparative Law, Intellectual Property Law, Private International Law, and International Commercial Law. He is the Chairman of the Portuguese Society for Intellectual Property Law and the President of the Lisbon Research Center for Private Law – CIDP. 

Rui Soares Pereira is an Assistant Professor at the University of Lisbon School of Law, where he has obtained his PhD in Law (2015) and has taught Law of Obligations, Criminal Law, Civil Proceedings and Criminal Proceedings. Member of Directors of the Lisbon Research Center for Private Law – CIDP. He is an expert in Tort Law, Evidence Law and Criminal Law, working in these areas as legal advisor and arbitrator. Heis also member of the editorial board of Anatomia do Crime Review and editor at Concorrência & Regulação Review. Author of numerous publications in the areas of Tort Law, Criminal Law and AI Law. Among them we should mention the book Inteligência Artificial e Direito (AI & Law), Almedina, 2020, as co-editor and author of the chapter “Artificial intelligence and evidence models”. 

Ana Alves Leal is a Guest Lecturer at the University of Lisbon School of Law, where she is a PhD candidate in Law. Researcher at the Lisbon Research Center for Private Law – CIDP and a regular speaker at several courses and conferences. She co-organises various postgraduate courses in Banking Law, Securities Law, Civil Law and Civil Procedural Law. Author of numerous publications in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Civil Procedure, Commercial Law, Third Sector Entities, Data Protection and AI Law.