Liability, responsibility, and agency: Redefining private law in the era of Autonomous AI.

Traditionally, private law rests on a fundamental dichotomy between persons and things. Persons are recognized as holders of rights and duties, capable of engaging in legal transactions, while things are considered entities without legal agency or rights. However, the rapid development of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems challenges this strict division, as these entities increasingly interact with society in complex, impactful ways. This evolution calls for a rethinking of core private law concepts such as responsibility, liability, consent, and causation. For instance, AI's complexity can complicate traditional frameworks of causation and responsibility, challenging established notions of liability. These developments reflect a broader shift that questions private law's rigid classification of 'persons' and 'things' and the relationship between them. Some legal scholars have therefore proposed to recognize an independent legal status for robots and AI (the so-called ePerson).4 The proposed Postdoc Challenge offers the candidate the opportunity to develop an independent research proposal within the broader theme of evolving perspectives on persons and things in private law, focusing on AI and robots, with the aim of securing international research funding. In doing so, the candidate will play a crucial role in shaping the legal approach to robots and AI in the Anthropocene.

Keywords:LAW OF PERSONS, CIVIL LAW, LIABILITY LAW

Disciplines:Civil law, Legal theory, jurisprudence and legal interpretation, Liability law, Philosophy of law