Artificial Intelligence and Legal Disruption

Course content

Taking inspiration from artificial intelligence (‘AI’) processes and their impact on the law, this course is a continuously iterated version of previous editions of the ‘AI and Legal Disruption’ and ‘RoboLaw’ courses convened over the past several years. 
This course is heavily research-based, incorporating some of the cutting-edge work that is taking place here at the Law Faculty. 
The course is exploratory in nature and research-focused; we are less interested in how the law regulates artificial intelligence, its inputs and outputs, and the many areas of society that AI affects (though certainly these provide an important backdrop). Rather, we are primarily concerned with the disruptive of effects of AI on the law itself.

 

‘Artificial Intelligence’

Society stands on the cusp of unprecedented, even unfathomable, change as the maturation of decades of scientific research and technological development promises to unleash waves of brilliant technologies in the near future. Few fields hold the prospect of seismic societal disruption like artificial intelligence and robotic technologies: their impending shift from science fiction to daily reality holds the potential to inundate society with flood of fundamental challenges. It is important to emphasise that these projected disruptions to almost every sphere of human activity originate from a relatively tight cluster of emerging technologies. That this broad array of challenges emanate from a single-source origin provides unique opportunities and problems for engaging with and address AI and its attendant disruptions to society.

Converging with these conventional conceptions of artificial intelligences based upon silicon substrates and the computer sciences, are models of artificial intelligence arising from progress in neuroscience that are biologically-inspired or which integrate the biological with the artificial. Thus, an expanded conception of artificial intelligence encompasses the spectrum from produced (manufactured) to reproduced (replicated) versions, with hybrid intelligences occupying the space in between. This range creates further challenges for developing appropriate regulatory responses, but also greater opportunity for providing regulatory feedback by testing the consistency and coherence of legal and policy responses which have been framed by unspoken presumptions and implicit characteristics.

 

'Legal Disruption'

As human beings have long been accustomed to being the dominant form of intelligence on earth, there has been little consideration for how to accommodate other intelligent entities into human (and therefore anthropocentric) societies. This sets the stage for artificial intelligences to disrupt forms of human-centred organisation, such as law. Such disruption can be particular areas, in varied and unforeseen ways, but can also be systemic. An important subset of anthropocentric modalities of organisation are those concerned with regulation and governance, and in particular the legal systems which are relied upon in these domains. Why might the prospect of artificial intelligence disrupt the law, regulation and governance? Why might particular manifestations and applications of artificial intelligence disrupt discrete legal areas? And why might legal disruptions be more subtle and pervasive than it might appear at first glance?

It is this potential for artificial intelligences to disrupt legal principles, processes and procedures that forms the focal point of evaluation and examination in this course. Legal disruption forms the filter through which the issues embraced in this course percolate through: only artificial intelligences, or their manifestations, which are capable of fundamentally displacing legal presumptions or which systemically distort the functioning of the regulatory system will be considered. Thus, artificial intelligences and their manifestations must raise structural or systemic challenges to governance, to be included in this course. This is a necessarily high threshold, but in order to test whether an artificial intelligence or its impact passes muster, we will of course also discuss issues which might ultimately fall short of the mark.

Given the emphasis upon legal disruption, this course constantly aims at a dynamic target: as legal and policy responses to challenges posed by artificial intelligences are overcome or otherwise settled, these issues lose their disruptive effect and fall out of the ambit of this course. What loses controversy also loses interest for us. But the vantage point granted by legal disruption offers a mix of horizon-scanning for the next generation of challenges, and a measure of foresighting future issues which we will be able to prepare law and policy responses. As such, the perspective in this course celebrates the unknown and the incomplete, as a way of formulating more robust and resilient regulatory models as a response to these brilliant technologies.

Finally, the legal disruption approach allows us to deploy AI and robotic technologies as a mirror to the legal and regulatory system. It offers a rare chance to step outside of contemporary legal processes, principles and presumptions and to test their continuing efficacy, validity and tenability. As such, the promise of investigations at the intersection of AI and the law with such a conceptual framework, is that it might ‘illuminate the whole law’. From a separate vantage point, it is also possible to see any flaws or inconsistencies more clearly. It also provides a rare opportunity to improve the law, by updating its doctrine to reflect the contemporary scientific paradigm. 

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

  • Understand the notions of legal disruption and artificial intelligence.
  • Identify disruptive effects of AI on traditional legal frameworks.
  • Recognise the societal implications of AI in the legal context.
  • Understand concepts and methodologies for researching AI's impact on law.

Skills:

  • Analyse and compare ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ law regulation across different jurisdictions.
  • Assess issues associated with the legal compliance of AI systems within different legal disciplines.
  • Critically reflect upon the implications of AI for access to justice and fundamental rights.

Competences:

  • Develop and critically evaluate solutions for complex legal issues related to AI.
  • Identify weaknesses in, and advise on improving, legal frameworks aimed at addressing AI challenges.
  • Engage in research on AI and its broader impact on law and society.

Taking inspiration from machine learning processes, there will be relatively little ‘teaching’ in the traditional sense of simple or directional knowledge transfer. Instead, we will collectively crunch through a number of examples of legal disruption triggered by AI and its applications, and will seek to advance our collective understanding of the topic by pooling our knowledge, experience and ways of thinking. As such, engaged participation is at the very core of this course. While the readings give some factual basis or previous thought about an issue, the purpose is not mastery of the texts themselves as such. Rather, the purpose is to have a point of departure, and as a guide to possible approaches towards these challenges, which we will build upon in class.

The aim, therefore, is to have advanced our collective thinking about a particular issue through the process of participating in the class. Attendance is therefore necessary, but insufficient, for good grades simply because of the additional requirement of active engagement in the discussions. This does not mean that you must feel compelled to speak out during the sessions, but it does mean that you need to critically reflect upon the discussion in a way that transforms your thinking about a given area. This means that classes are more about knowledge generation and thinking development, hence why traditional modes of teaching are not able to achieve the stated aims of the course.

The relevant literature for the course is constantly updated. Students will be provided with a detailed reading list in the syllabus on Absalon.

There is no assigned textbook for the class, and all materials should be available via the library or online.

 

It is illegal to share digital textbooks with each other without permission from the copyright holder.

Good command of English, ready, willing and engaged participation, critical analytical abilities, openmindedness.

Willingness to challenge received knowledge, and to consider a range of possible approaches.

Please note that there should be NO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY DEVICES out during the seminars. Please make preparations accordingly beforehand.

Note: the course title changed from 'RoboLaw: Law, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence'.

Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
ECTS
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Home assignment
Type of assessment details
Individual written assignment

The exam consists of submitting a paper which has been produced during the semester. There is a firm deadline for submitting the paper and students should follow the official instructions for submission provided by Faculty administration for the interests of anonymity, fairness and efficiency. Any questions related to the formal (non-substantive) aspects of the assessment process should be directed to the Faculty administration. Students should also note that there is no need to be physically present for the examination submission process, since this is all handled virtually. There are no restrictions as to when you can begin to write the assignment during the semester, and students are encouraged to get an early start to be able to go through several iterations and thus have a more advanced and nuanced analytical discussion.

Essay topic
Given the problem-finding purpose of this course the final written assignment gives you creative latitude to explore, in a sustained and robust fashion, a relevant area of your choice that has direct relevance to the substantive topic areas covered by this course. You may also choose to adopt the problem-finding, legal disruption, approach to other new and emerging technologies to explore their potential impact upon the law, regulation, and governance, but you are encouraged to discuss the gist of such projects with me first.

Students are this encouraged (to the point of expectation) to formulate their own thesis statement (akin to a hypothesis) or research question in an area significantly intersecting with the content and approach of the course. As this is a course in the Law Faculty, the focus should be upon legal, regulatory or governance issues (with an emphasis upon innovation, interruption and disruption of the relevant principles and processes): interdisciplinary approaches are welcomed provided they are anchored in legally-relevant questions or consequences.

I should emphasise here that the aim is for you to tackle issues that raise (at least the spectre of) legal disruption arising from AI and its applications. This really means asking why the legal system is unlikely to be able to cope, as it stands now, to the challenges that AI and robotics bring. Alternatively, this can also be framed as asking why the law is structurally or systemically unbalanced by the prospect of AI and robotics being integrated into society at large or a particular sector or activity.

Approach
You are expected to conduct the bulk of this research independently, and to write it up in a systematic and comprehensive manner. It would be best to formulate a position or an argument in relation to your topic, and to critically evaluate and defend your position in relation to other authors and commentators. In other words, a thesis statement or research question should be the lodestone of your project, which you can refine as your research progresses. It may also be useful to adopt the ‘through-line’ model for writing – to have a consistent thread that unites your argument from introduction and problem statement all the way through until your conclusion and proposal for future work. Remember that relevance is key (rather than mere interest): constantly think of what it is that you are trying to communicate, why you are writing what you are writing, and how it relates to your thesis statement or research question. It often helps to think about law and policy propositions which might go some way to addressing the problem you have analysed, and the very best papers have involved a self-reflective critique of the proposals made at the end (thus leading towards the next iteration of research questions… and possibly setting you up for a Master’s Thesis).

A good way to push you towards a strong analytical paper is to ask ‘why’ questions (rather than how? and what? type questions). Why makes you delve deeper, opens up the field and encourages exploration. How and what questions tend to lead you towards answers which are superficial and factual, with which close up the question since the aim is to reach some sort of equilibrium. It should be obvious that analytically sophisticated papers seek to answer iterations of follow-up questions rather than arrive at definitive answers quickly.
Aid
All aids allowed

Read about the descriptions of the individual exam forms, including formal requirements, scope and deadlines in the exam catalogue
 

Read about practical exam conditions at KUnet
 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Exam period

Fall: Hand-in date - 09-12-2025

Spring: Hand-in date -

Re-exam

Fall: Hand-in date - 21-01-2026

Spring: Hand-in date -

Single subject courses (day)

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Preparation
  • 356,5
  • Seminar
  • 56
  • English
  • 412,5

Kursusinformation

Language
English
Course number
JJUA55235U
ECTS
15 ECTS
Programme level
Full Degree Master
Full Degree Master choice
Duration

1 semester

Placement
Autumn And Spring
Price
  1. Students enrolled at Faculty of Law or holding a pre-approval: No tuition fee
  2. Professionals: Please visit our website  
Schedulegroup
Please see timetable for teaching time
Studyboard
Law
Contracting department
  • Law
Contracting faculty
  • Faculty of Law
Course Coordinator
  • Hin-Yan Liu   (11-72737837836b783876737f4a747f7c38757f386e75)
Saved on the 30-04-2025

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