Prof. Xue Lectured for Master of AI @ European University of Rome

On 24 October 2020, 09:00 to 11:00 CET, Prof. Xue was invited to give a guest virtual lecture for the Master Students of Artificial Intelligence at the European University of Rome through Microsoft Teams. More than 60 Master-degree students participated in the Lecture and raised many interesting questions.

Prof. Xue began the lecture with the brief introduction to a variety of national or regional AI strategies coming into being around 2017 and 2018. Although East Asia countries are the most active group for developing the strategic plans, the other leading economies like Singapore, US and EU are not left behind. European Commission has published its people-centered principles for AI application and taken the negative social effects (such as unemployment) into account.

Chinese National Plan, issued by the State Council in 2017 and supported by a few implementation documents, highlighted the 3-step of development and a list of strategic products and areas. According to Prof. Xue’s research, the strategy emphasizes the public investments, market competition and balanced development between the advanced and traditional businesses. Among other things, the Strategy outlines the need of establishing the legal and ethical framework for AI, particularly on the liability and security issues.

Prof. Xue gave an in-depth analysis on the critical legal issues in the international trade law, tort law and IP laws. When the international trading process has been increasingly completed through AI, the legal risk of losing control is real. AI also has the great potential in the application in paperless trade, trade security measures (such as eID management and trust services involving e-seals, timestamp, etc.) and security assessment for data outflow.

Tort law are being challenges with respect to all the critical elements, including malfeasance, fault and liability, once AI comes into play. The traditional liability regime that is based on the human’s free will and choices is not working well in the context of AI above Level 3 (which is more than assistance to human but tending to take control). Prof. Xue suggests that the compulsory insurance may be an alternative to the liability especially in the case of driver-less automobiles, drones and domestic service robots.

With respect to intellectual creations, the criteria in Patent Law and Copyright Law can still be applicable. The problem lies in ownership. Would it become belittling both human and AI to treat the creations as “co-authored” or works for hire? When humans are benefiting from the AI creations, they might not be ready to be liable for the potential infringement risks caused by AI.

Prof. Xue’s lecture was warmed welcomed by the students and opened a new interdisciplinary dialogue across Euro-Asia continent.