Granting Legal Personhood to Artificial Intelligence Systems and Traditional Veil-Piercing Concepts to Impose Liability

Abstract

This article discusses some of the issues surrounding artificial intelligence systems and whether artificial intelligence systems should be granted legal personhood. The first part of the article discusses whether current artificial intelligence systems should be granted rights and obligations, akin to a legal person. The second part of the article deals with imposing liability on artificial intelligence beings by analogising with incorporation and veil-piercing principles in company law. It examines this by considering that a future board may be replaced entirely by an artificial intelligence director managing the company. It also explores the possibility of disregarding the corporate veil to ascribe liability on such artificial intelligence beings and the ramifications of such an approach in the areas of fraud and crime.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence Law, Legal Personhood, Incorporation, Veil-Piercing, Company Law

JEL Classification: K10