Womble Bond’s Christian Mammen says that Abbott’s proposal for AI legal neutrality might be problematic, but his wake-up call for rethinking the law around AI should be heeded.
Review behind paywall at
- Publisher:Cambridge University Press
- Online publication date:June 2020
- Print publication year:2020
- Online ISBN:9781108631761
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108631761
- Description
Today, AI and people do not compete on a level playing field. From a safety perspective, AI may be the best choice for driving a vehicle, but laws often prohibit driverless vehicles. At the same time, a person may be better at packing boxes at a warehouse, but a business may automate because AI receives preferential tax treatment. Or, AI may be better at helping businesses to innovate, but these same businesses may not want to use AI if doing so restricts future intellectual property rights. In The Reasonable Robot, Ryan Abbott argues that the law should not discriminate between people and AI when they are performing the same tasks, a legal standard that will help to eliminate market distortions and to ensure that decisions are made on the basis of efficiency. This work should be read by anyone interested in the rapidly evolving relationship between AI and the law.
Industry Reviews
‘The Reasonable Robot provides highly original insights into one of the most important conversations of our time. Ryan Abbott brings a unique and sometimes controversial perspective to artificial intelligence as a physician, attorney, and eminent academic, but manages to present the subject in an accessible and unintimidating manner. This book is both enlightening about the future of law and artificial intelligence as well as a great read’ Baron Timothy Clement-Jones, Chair of the House of Lords Artificial Intelligence Select Committee and Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence
‘Ryan Abbott’s book cuts across all kinds of fields in an effort to teach us what the future will bring. From self-driving cars to AI doctors to robots that pay taxes, he offers a comprehensive blueprint for how the law needs to change to adapt to a world where it is machines, not people, committing torts and crimes.’ Mark A. Lemley, William H. Neukom Professor, Stanford University, California
‘Artificial intelligence has evolved from an utopian vision to a fact of life. Thinking through how AI fits into our existing legal norms has become imperative. Ryan Abbott’s book elucidates what challenges AI poses in different areas of the law and what legal principles can unleash AI’s full potential for human progress. Anyone seeking insight into these questions will find this book both accessible to read and thought-provoking.’ Carsten Fink, Chief Economist, World Intellectual Property Organization
‘The Reasonable Robot is an important work and a riveting read that provides a fascinating picture of a future that’s already here. It explores profound legal and societal questions that every one of us should care deeply about, and secures Ryan’s place as a leader in the field.’ Corey Salsberg, Vice President, Global Head IP Affairs, Novartis
‘Professor Abbott’s book offers a captivating analysis of the legal challenges that arise from the breathtaking proliferation of artificial intelligence in numerous areas of life, commercial relations and governmental decision-making. As ‘AI’ not only informs but increasingly drives and determines administrative procedures as well as policy choices, questions of liability require utmost scrutiny and must be seen in close connection with issues around agency, representation and legitimacy. In trying to understand the legal conundrum posed by robots’ astonishing ascendance, this book is an excellent guide.’ Peer Zumbansen, Founding Director, Transnational Law Institute, King’s College London
‘The Reasonable Robot provides highly original insights into one of the most important conversations of our time. Ryan Abbott brings a unique and sometimes controversial perspective to artificial intelligence as a physician, attorney, and eminent academic, but manages to present the subject in an accessible and unintimidating manner. This book is both enlightening about the future of law and artificial intelligence as well as a great read’ Baron Timothy Clement-Jones, Chair of the House of Lords Artificial Intelligence Select Committee and Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence
‘Ryan Abbott’s book cuts across all kinds of fields in an effort to teach us what the future will bring. From self-driving cars to AI doctors to robots that pay taxes, he offers a comprehensive blueprint for how the law needs to change to adapt to a world where it is machines, not people, committing torts and crimes.’ Mark A. Lemley, William H. Neukom Professor, Stanford University, California
‘Artificial intelligence has evolved from an utopian vision to a fact of life. Thinking through how AI fits into our existing legal norms has become imperative. Ryan Abbott’s book elucidates what challenges AI poses in different areas of the law and what legal principles can unleash AI’s full potential for human progress. Anyone seeking insight into these questions will find this book both accessible to read and thought-provoking.’ Carsten Fink, Chief Economist, World Intellectual Property Organization
‘The Reasonable Robot is an important work and a riveting read that provides a fascinating picture of a future that’s already here. It explores profound legal and societal questions that every one of us should care deeply about, and secures Ryan’s place as a leader in the field.’ Corey Salsberg, Vice President, Global Head IP Affairs, Novartis
‘Professor Abbott’s book offers a captivating analysis of the legal challenges that arise from the breathtaking proliferation of artificial intelligence in numerous areas of life, commercial relations and governmental decision-making. As ‘AI’ not only informs but increasingly drives and determines administrative procedures as well as policy choices, questions of liability require utmost scrutiny and must be seen in close connection with issues around agency, representation and legitimacy. In trying to understand the legal conundrum posed by robots’ astonishing ascendance, this book is an excellent guide.’ Peer Zumbansen, Founding Director, Transnational Law Institute, King’s College London
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-reasonable-robot-ryan-abbott/book/9781108459020.html
