Postgraduate Module Descriptor

LAWM131: Artificial Intelligence and the Law

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The aim of this module is to provide you with detailed knowledge of the legal challenges related to Artificial Intelligence, with particular emphasis on the UK as well as current international agreements. This will provide you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge surrounding how AI works and its role in society.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate a detailed knowledge of Artificial Intelligence and its role in society.
2. demonstrate a detailed and systematic knowledge of some of the legal challenges and responses relating to Artificial Intelligence.
Discipline-Specific Skills3. demonstrate detailed and comprehensive understanding of the operation of UK and international agreements in relation to AI;
4. demonstrate flexible and innovative ability to analyse legal challenges relating AI and solutions to these challenges.
Personal and Key Skills5. communicate and engage in debate about key legal concepts effectively, confidently and autonomously, in a manner appropriate to both legal and market audiences.
6. manage relevant learning resources, learning strategies and your own time confidently and independently, and develop your own arguments and opinions at a professional level.

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

House of Lords, Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence, ‘AI in the UK: Willing, Able and Ready’ (HL Paper 100, April 2018)

Matthew Channon, Kyriaki Noussia and Lucy McCormick, ‘Law and Autonomous Vehicles’ (Informa 2019)

The Law Commission project on the electronic signature of documents: available at https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/electronic-execution-of-documents/

The Law Commission project on smart contracts: available at https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/smart-contracts/

MN Schmitt & JS Thurner, ‘"Out of the Loop": Autonomous Weapon Systems and the Law of Armed Conflict’ (2013) 4 Harvard National Security Journal 232.

ET Jensen & R Alcala (eds), The Impact of Emerging Technologies on the Law of Armed Conflict (OUP 2019).