Artificial intelligence (AI) is any system that imitates human beings in conducting tasks. Such a system improves itself based on its information as it handles different tasks.
AI is now used across all industries, from e-commerce sites to education, automobiles, medicine, manufacturing and financial services. It is also being incorporated into self-driving cars, chatbots, virtual assistants such as Alexa and Siri and even mobile devices.
The technology has several subsets, including machine learning, deep learning and neural networks.
What are some legal issues that relate to artificial intelligence?
While AI has several actual and potential benefits, it is also likely to have flaws, vulnerabilities and other effects that may lead to the destruction of property and injury to people. It can also fall into the hands of criminals and be used for such things as phishing, racial profiling and misdiagnosis.
Here are some legal issues that may arise from artificial intelligence.
- How do you avoid bias and discrimination?
- How can AI be regulated for propaganda and marketing purposes, especially during elections?
- Can AI commit a crime? Who should monitor the technology? Is there a legal requirement that requires code to be written in a way that ensures that AI follows the law?
- Who is the owner of the intellectual property created by AI?
- How is data protection applied in the context of artificial intelligence?
- Is AI a legal entity? Does it have rights like natural persons?
Unfortunately, there are no solid regulations in the U.S.A. that touch on AI’s legality. However, some of the issues discussed above are covered by different laws.
Legal responsibilities for AI creators
You must comply with data protection when developing or using AI for any task. Owners of the data must give consent to using their information and the company must disclose fully what they intend to do with the data.
The owner of the AI may be held responsible for any actions taken by the technology that violates the law. Acts of negligence are punishable under the law of torts. The company should also develop a policy to respond to an AI incident in a way that mitigates the problem at hand and does not lead to more legal issues.
The federal government regulates the protection and rights of intellectual property. However, there are state-level laws that touch on trade secrets. Before you release your AI innovation to the public, you must be aware of the laws that protect it and take the required steps to safeguard your artificial intelligence.