Artificial Intelligence as Law: Prof. Bart Verheij gave presidential address at the 17th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law (ICAIL 2019)

The 17th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law took place in Montreal on the topics of social, responsible and explainable artificial intelligence. Prof. Bart Verheij, who gave the traditional presidential address, lectured about the safeguards needed for AI to be trustworthy, social, responsible, humane, ethical.

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence as Law
Presidential address, June 19, 2019

Information technology is so ubiquitous and AI's progress so inspiring that also legal professionals experience its benefits and have high expectations. At the same time, the powers of AI have been rising strongly to the extent that it is no longer obvious that AI applications (whether in the law or elsewhere) help promoting a good society; in fact they are sometimes harmful. Hence many argue that safeguards are needed for AI to be trustworthy, social, responsible, humane, ethical. In short: AI should be good for us. But how to establish proper safeguards for AI? One strong answer readily available is: consider the problems and solutions studied in AI & Law, since AI & Law has worked on the design of social, explainable, responsible AI aligned with human values for decades already. It is argued that the study of AI as law supports the development of an AI that is good for us, making AI & Law more relevant than ever.

The slides are available here.