The Civil Liability Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Iran's Legal System and a Comparative Look at Regulations in the European Union

Document Type : Original Article

Author
PhD Candidate, Department of Law, Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI), with an astonishing progress, is exploiting abilities that were previously available only to humans. Regardless of technical complications, this enigma requires comprehensive analysis of humanities elites to respond to emerging challenges. One of these challenges in the field of law is the AI liability. If damage is caused by AI, then who should be held liable? While noting that Iran's legal system currently does not have specific regulations on AI, following similar issues, it is argued that the user who uses AI is liable in fault based liability and the liability of the producer is in ambiguity. With a comparative look at the European Union, it is also found that the liability of the user is fault based liability, with a slight difference, while the liability of the producer is absolute liability. However, no legal system has given a separate character to AI and does not consider it as more than one object. The following article is based on the premise that considering the unique characteristics of AI, both of the reviewed regulations are ineffective and it is appropriate to define an independent personality for AI in order to prevent the infringement of the injured rights.
Keywords

حکمت‌نیا، محمود و دیگران (1398). مسئولیت مدنی ناشی از تولید ربات‌های مبتنی بر هوش مصنوعی خودمختار، حقوق اسلامی، دوره 15، شماره 60.
رجبی، عبدالله (1398). ضمان در هوش مصنوعی، مطالعات حقوقی، دوره 10، شماره 2.
شهبازی‌نیا، مرتضی؛ حصارخانی، فاطمه (1397). مبنای مسئولیت مدنی بهره‌بردار پایانه در کنوانسیون مسئولیت مدنی بهره‌بردار پایانه‌های حمل‌ونقل بین‌المللی کالا و مقایسه آن با حقوق دریایی ایران، فصلنامه تحقیقات حقوقی، 21 (82).
صفایی، سیدحسین؛ رحیمی، حبیب‌الله (1393). مسئولیت مدنی (الزامات خارج از قرارداد)، چاپ 6، تهران: سمت.
کاتوزیان، ناصر (1389). الزامات خارج از قرارداد. چاپ 9، تهران: دانشگاه تهران.
هداوندخانی، فاطمه (1378). بهداشت روانی در افراد عقب‌مانده ذهنی، مجله تعلیم و تربیت استثنایی، شماره 78.
Beck, Susanne (2015). the Problem of Ascribing Legal Responsibility in the Case of Robotics. AI & Soc Journal, Springer, Volume 3.
Bertolini, Andrea .et al (2016). On Robots and Insurance. Int of Soc Robotics Journal, Springer, Volume. 8.
Keller, D. (2018). The right tools: Europe’s intermediary liability laws and the EU 2016 general data protection regulation. Berkeley Technology Law Journal, Volume 33, Issue.1.
Kelley, Richard, Enrique Schaerer & Micaela Gomez (2016). Liability in Robotics: An International Perspective on Robots as Animals; Nevada: University of Nevada.
Nevejans, N. (2016). European civil law rules in robotics: study/Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs.
Pagallo, Ugo (2013). the Laws of Robots. New York: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg.
Smart, W. D., Grimm, C. M., & Hartzog, W. (2021). An education theory of fault for autonomous systems. Notre Dame J. on Emerging Tech., Volume. 2, Issue. 33.
Wilzig, Sam N, Lehman (1981). Frankenstein Unbound:Towards A Legal Definition of Artificial Intelligence, Futures, Volume. 73.
Zech, H. (2021). Liability for AI: public policy considerations. ERA Forum, Volume. 22.