Some Reflections on the Utilization of Artificial Intelligence in Liberal Professions

The law is currently facing various challenges related to technological innovation, in particular the increasing utilization of forms of Artificial Intelligence: a lawyer considering this trend will be confronted with various problems when evaluating the ability of the legal order to offer new remedies. Without neglecting the complex ethical issues raised by this phenomenon, this quickly and consistently evolving scenario impacts on different branches of the law, including, but not limited to, civil liability law, insurance law, data protection and privacy law, intellectual property law, and, in a broader sense, contract law, labour law and transportation law. In particular, the suitability of the laws regulating civil liability and insurance contracts is disputed. Machine learning has perhaps the most significant and disruptive impact on the law as we know it. The considerable use of autonomous and intelligent machines raises concerns for their direct and indirect effects on labor and society as a whole. Machines are not employed only in the production of goods – thus replacing human beings – but they are more and more involved in the provision of services. In the latter field, machines are precious for their ability to quickly process data and – thanks to the Web and big data analysis – to keep themselves updated, gaining knowledge well beyond human capacity. It should be noted that the widespread usage of AI systems does not only support professionals in repetitive tasks but even replaces them entirely. This aspect requires some reflection, especially in respect of the performance of activities which have traditionally been reserved to “protected professions”, with further problems related to contractual process and liability.