Liberating Intelligent Machines with Financial Instruments

Nordic Journal of Commercial Law No. 2/2010

15 Pages Posted: 3 Jul 2010 Last revised: 4 Mar 2014

See all articles by Anniina Huttunen

Anniina Huttunen

University of Helsinki - Faculty of Law

Jakke Kulovesi

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology

William Brace

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology

Lorenz G. Lechner

Ulm University - Central Facility of Electron Microscopy

Kari Silvennoinen

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology

Vesa Kantola

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology

Date Written: July 1, 2010

Abstract

This article addresses responsible robotics from a legal perspective. However, instead of focusing on ethical considerations elaborated in philosophy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) communities, the legal liability risks related to inherently error-prone intelligent machines are considered and a solution combining legal and economical components is proposed. Even though robots can give humans orders that they are legally obliged to follow, they are still, like ordinary machines, considered the property of humans. However, the increasing use of sensory input in machines and the associated gain in autonomy and intelligent behavior is likely to lead to the need for robot liberation.

Because of the technological difficulties in creating perfectly functioning machines and the cognitive element inherent in intelligent machines and machine interactions, we propose a new kind of legal approach, i.e. a financial instrument liberating the machine. In this framework, a machine can become an ultimate machine by emancipating itself from its manufacturer/owner/operator. This can be achieved through the creation of a legal framework around this ultimate machine that in itself has economic value. The article relates to the European context. However, the solution can easily be adapted to other jurisdictions.

Keywords: Robotics, legal liability, product liability, risks such as privacy and safety, responsibility, organizational/societal impact, artificial intelligence

Suggested Citation

Huttunen, Anniina and Kulovesi, Jakke and Brace, William and Lechner, Lorenz G. and Silvennoinen, Kari and Kantola, Vesa, Liberating Intelligent Machines with Financial Instruments (July 1, 2010). Nordic Journal of Commercial Law No. 2/2010 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1633460

Anniina Huttunen (Contact Author)

University of Helsinki - Faculty of Law ( email )

Porthania 5th Floor
P.O. Box 4
Helsinki, FIN-0001 4
Finland

Jakke Kulovesi

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology ( email )

P.O. Box 21210
Aalto, FI-00076
Finland

William Brace

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology ( email )

P.O. Box 21210
Aalto, FI-00076
Finland

Lorenz G. Lechner

Ulm University - Central Facility of Electron Microscopy ( email )

Albert-Einstein-Alee 11
Ulm, D-89081

Kari Silvennoinen

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology ( email )

P.O. Box 21210
Aalto, FI-00076
Finland

Vesa Kantola

Aalto University - School of Science and Technology ( email )

P.O. Box 21210
Aalto, FI-00076
Finland

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