Defects of the will in software agents contracting

The use of intelligent software agents brings along a lot of new issues in what contracting is concerned. Actually, to speak about contracts there must be two or more declarations of will, containing a consensual agreement, consisting of an offer and of an acceptance. But intelligent software agents operate in electronic commerce without any direct intervention of humans, and they have a control on their own actions and on their own inner state. So, legal difficulties obviously arise in such situations of contracting through the only intervention and interaction of autonomous intelligent systems. Thus being, the analysis of the process of formation of will and of issuing of declaration in electronic contracts negotiated (and eventually performed) by electronic software agents will be crucial to the development of intelligent inter-systemic electronic contracting. But, may the the rules of will defects be adapted to software agent contracting?Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Intelligent Agents and Legal Relations project (POCTI/JUR/57221/2004

Autonomous weapon systems and international law : refusing impunity

More than ever, the competition to lead the technological race puts artificial intelligence in the centre of the global power play. The idea of a potential mortal weapon system that does not require a human agent on the loop is far from being just an academic hypothesis and the question arises on whom to allocate responsibility for its unlawful acts. Being a current topic, transversal to several legal and ethical issues, the focus of the present dissertation will remain on the possibility of accountability for Autonomous Weapon System’s unlawful acts in International Armed Conflicts.Atualmente, mais do que nunca, a competição para liderar a corrida tecnológica coloca a inteligência artificial no centro do poder global. A ideia de um sistema de armamento autónomo que não requer a intervenção de um agente humano durante a sua operação está longe de representar uma mera hipótese académica levantando-se, assim, a questão de saber a quem imputar a responsabilidade por atuações ilegais. Sendo um tópico atual, transversal a várias questões éticas e jurídicas, o foco da presente dissertação permanecerá na possibilidade de imputação da responsabilidade por atos ilegais de sistemas de armamento autónomo em situação de Conflito Armado Internacional

Industrial Dynamics Why Connections Matter

Transaction costs

Using GSS For Decision Reconstruction: A Preliminary Study

The importance of understanding the reasons of past decisions is not a new subject. However, there seems to be a gap regarding the verification of the efficiency of tools for understanding past decisions. In this paper we posit that the ability to perform decision reconstruction, using a GSS solution, can provide a flexible solution to the problem, but only if the information model underneath it is able to support/structure both ways the phases of a decision-making process. Based on earlier work, we present a first proposal for a general information model to support the decision-making process, as well as the decision reconstruction process. We tested these ideas by setting a case study where we used a prototype, based on a proposed model, to analyze a simulated public contracting process and present a discussion based on the obtained results

Mechanisms for Automated Negotiation in State Oriented Domains

This paper lays part of the groundwork for a domain theory of negotiation, that is, a way of classifying interactions so that it is clear, given a domain, which negotiation mechanisms and strategies are appropriate. We define State Oriented Domains, a general category of interaction. Necessary and sufficient conditions for cooperation are outlined. We use the notion of worth in an altered definition of utility, thus enabling agreements in a wider class of joint-goal reachable situations. An approach is offered for conflict resolution, and it is shown that even in a conflict situation, partial cooperative steps can be taken by interacting agents (that is, agents in fundamental conflict might still agree to cooperate up to a certain point). A Unified Negotiation Protocol (UNP) is developed that can be used in all types of encounters. It is shown that in certain borderline cooperative situations, a partial cooperative agreement (i.e., one that does not achieve all agents' goals) might be preferred by all agents, even though there exists a rational agreement that would achieve all their goals. Finally, we analyze cases where agents have incomplete information on the goals and worth of other agents. First we consider the case where agents' goals are private information, and we analyze what goal declaration strategies the agents might adopt to increase their utility. Then, we consider the situation where the agents' goals (and therefore stand-alone costs) are common knowledge, but the worth they attach to their goals is private information. We introduce two mechanisms, one 'strict', the other 'tolerant', and analyze their affects on the stability and efficiency of negotiation outcomes.Comment: See http://www.jair.org/ for any accompanying file

Legal Regulation of Atificial Beings

In the connection with a development of informatics there appears a newphenomenon in the society – artificial beings. These beings are gradually beginning tointerfere in an everyday human life. They appear in various areas of living. Peoplemay communicate with them even without recognizing that they are in a contact withsomething artificially created. The question is how the law deals with this event.   Traditionally there are two points of view – a view de lege lata and a view de legeferenda. Artificial beings de lege lata can be subordinated above all under the legaldefinition of a computer program, but also under the definition of a database and evenan artwork. A situation with the view de lege ferenda is much more complicated.   A discussion about subjectifying of artificial beings arose. The reason why somepeople would award artificial beings rights and duties is a fact that these entities areno more passive mediators but active autonomous systems with an ability to learnfrom their own experience and to take control of themselves.   There also emerged particular legal problems related to autonomous intelligentagents and multi-agents systems. Dubiousness is especially in matters of legalrelations and liability.   The answer to if and eventually how and when the law regulating artificialbeings should change can be constructed on the basis of comparison of reasons foridentity declaration

A decision reconstruction support model

The importance of understanding the reasons for past decisions is not a new subject. However, there seems to be a gap when it comes to verifying the efficiency of tools for understanding past decisions. In this paper we show that the ability to perform decision reconstruction using a Group Support System (GSS) can provide a flexible solution to the problem, but only if the information model underlying it is able to provide bidirectional support to the phases of a decision-making process. For this, we present a general information model to support the decision-making process, as well as the decision reconstruction process. We tested these ideas by setting up a case study where we used a GSS, based on our model, to analyze a simulated public contracting process. We present a discussion of the results.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Legal Enforceability of Contracts made by Electronic Agents under Islamic Law: A Critical Analysis of the Effectiveness of Legal Reform in Saudi Arabia

The aim of this dissertation is to analyse whether contracts made by electronic agents1 might be made enforceable under Islamic law. It discusses what constitutes an enforceable contract under Islamic law and whether this is applicable when a contract is made by an electronic agent. The enforceability of these contracts under Islamic law is especially important in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) where Islamic law constitutes the legal system. Ignoring the doctrine of Islamic law in relation to the enforceability of these contracts could, therefore, fundamentally affect the future viability of these contracts in the KSA. The dissertation argues first that the principle of mutual consent under Islamic law is not satisfied in contracts made by electronic agents because there is no communication of an offer and acceptance by the contracting parties (users). Secondly, while electronic agents function like human agents, there are a number of doctrinal requirements under Islamic agency theory that prevent electronic agents from being agents proper. Thirdly, the term ‘legal personality’ is categorised in Islamic law under ‘Dhimmah’, an ethical concept designed principally for human beings which cannot, therefore, be attributed to electronic agents. This dissertation demonstrates that Islamic law creates conceptual obstacles which prevent contracts made by electronic agents being enforceable in the KSA. One implication of this will be a risk of negative impact on the development of these contracts in the KSA because they are contradictory to Islamic law. Islamic law must avoid narrow traditional interpretations of its legal concepts, because a lack of reform in this area will create difficulties and barriers against the enforceability of these contracts under Islamic law